Download or read book Fascinating Shells written by Andreia Salvador and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2022-03-17 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New Scientist Best Book of the Year Beautiful photographs of stunning shells from London's Natural History Museum, home to one of the most significant and comprehensive collections in the world. Collected and treasured for their beauty, used in religious rituals, or even traded as currency, shells have fascinated humans for millennia. Ancient and enchanting, dazzling in form and variety, these beautiful objects come from mollusks, one of the most diverse groups in the animal kingdom, including snails, oysters, cuttlefish, and chitons. Soft-bodied, these creatures rely on shells for protection from enemies and their environments, from snowy mountains to arid deserts, in deep-sea hydrothermal vents and the jungles of the tropics, on rocky shores, and in coral reefs. In this book, mollusk expert Andreia Salvador profiles some of the world’s most beautiful and quirky shells, each selected from the more than eight million specimens held in the collection at London’s Natural History Museum. We lock eyes with the hundred-eyed cowry, named after "the all-seeing one," the giant Argus Panoptes of Greek mythology. We see how shells' appearances translate into defense strategies, as with the zigzag nerite, which varies its patterning to deceive and confuse predators. And we meet shell inhabitants, such as the amber snail, which eats earthworms by sucking them up like spaghetti. Reproduced in full color and striking detail, these shells have much to reveal about the history of collecting, the science of taxonomy, and the human desire to understand the natural world.

Download or read book Cool Shells Creating Fun and Fascinating Collections written by Mary Elizabeth Salzmann and published by ABDO Publishing Company. This book was released on 2006-08-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains facts about collecting shells that will inspire the reader to start his or her own collection. Readers will gain a working knowledge of this hobby which includes background history of shells and mollusks dating back to the Bronze Age, research and resources, the best places to find, buy or trade shells, and how to organize, store and care for a shell collection. There is also a crafts section for the creative use of extra shells. Full-color photographs, materials & techniques, tips & sidebar information, a glossary and an index are all included in this title.

Download or read book Interesting Shells written by Andreia Salvador and published by . This book was released on 2022-02-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Shells are exoskeletons of living creatures and have fascinated humans for millennia. Interesting Shells presents portraits of beautiful specimens from the Natural History Museum's vast collections, each accompanied by a caption explaining thier unique characteristics--whether biological, historical or geographical"--Page 4 of cover

Download or read book Shells written by Joyce Tenneson and published by Down East Books. This book was released on 2011-10-15 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joyce Tenneson,s detailed photographic studies of luminous sea shells adrift on a velvet-soft background remind us that startling beauty exists even in the most ordinary places. These surprising images give us a unique window into these secret lives of the sea. Short selected quotes from literature illuminate these ethereal portraits.

Download or read book The Book of Shells written by M.G. Harasewych and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2014-12-10 with total page 658 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who among us hasn’t marveled at the diversity and beauty of shells? Or picked one up, held it to our ear, and then gazed in wonder at its shape and hue? Many a lifelong shell collector has cut teeth (and toes) on the beaches of the Jersey Shore, the Outer Banks, or the coasts of Sanibel Island. Some have even dived to the depths of the ocean. But most of us are not familiar with the biological origin of shells, their role in explaining evolutionary history, and the incredible variety of forms in which they come. Shells are the external skeletons of mollusks, an ancient and diverse phylum of invertebrates that are in the earliest fossil record of multicellular life over 500 million years ago. There are over 100,000 kinds of recorded mollusks, and some estimate that there are over amillion more that have yet to be discovered. Some breathe air, others live in fresh water, but most live in the ocean. They range in size from a grain of sand to a beach ball and in weight from a few grams to several hundred pounds. And in this lavishly illustrated volume, they finally get their full due. The Book of Shells offers a visually stunning and scientifically engaging guide to six hundred of the most intriguing mollusk shells, each chosen to convey the range of shapes and sizes that occur across a range of species. Each shell is reproduced here at its actual size, in full color, and is accompanied by an explanation of the shell’s range, distribution, abundance, habitat, and operculum—the piece that protects the mollusk when it’s in the shell. Brief scientific and historical accounts of each shell and related species include fun-filled facts and anecdotes that broaden its portrait. The Matchless Cone, for instance, or Conus cedonulli, was one of the rarest shells collected during the eighteenth century. So much so, in fact, that a specimen in 1796 was sold for more than six times as much as a painting by Vermeer at the same auction. But since the advent of scuba diving, this shell has become far more accessible to collectors—though not without certain risks. Some species of Conus produce venom that has caused more than thirty known human deaths. The Zebra Nerite, the Heart Cockle, the Indian Babylon, the Junonia, the Atlantic Thorny Oyster—shells from habitats spanning the poles and the tropics, from the highest mountains to the ocean’s deepest recesses, are all on display in this definitive work.

Download or read book Shells written by Janet Lawler and published by 4 Seasons of Pop-Up. This book was released on 2019-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Along summer beaches, shells beckon with their timeless beauty and wonder. They provide protection for many ocean animals, populate colorful coral reefs, and sometimes surprise with a pearl inside! Fabulous interactive features and fun facts abound in this unique summertime pop-up book.

Download or read book Seashells of the World written by R. Tucker Abbott and published by Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2014-02-01 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This eBook is best viewed on a color device. Seashells of the World is an introduction to the world of marine seashells, emphasizing the most attractive and best-known species. This guide will help you to: -Identify -Classify -Understand the beautiful shells you see and collect No other animals are so widely collected, traded, or bought and sold because of their beauty and rarity.

Download or read book The Sound of the Sea Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans written by Cynthia Barnett and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2021-07-06 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Science Friday Best Science Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year A Library Journal Best Science and Technology Book of the Year A Tampa Bay Times Best Book of the Year A stunning history of seashells and the animals that make them that "will have you marveling at nature…Barnett’s account remarkably spirals out, appropriately, to become a much larger story about the sea, about global history and about environmental crises and preservation" (John Williams, New York Times Book Review). Seashells have been the most coveted and collected of nature’s creations since the dawn of humanity. They were money before coins, jewelry before gems, art before canvas. In The Sound of the Sea, acclaimed environmental author Cynthia Barnett blends cultural history and science to trace our long love affair with seashells and the hidden lives of the mollusks that make them. Spiraling out from the great cities of shell that once rose in North America to the warming waters of the Maldives and the slave castles of Ghana, Barnett has created an unforgettable history of our world through an examination of the unassuming seashell. She begins with their childhood wonder, unwinds surprising histories like the origin of Shell Oil as a family business importing exotic shells, and charts what shells and the soft animals that build them are telling scientists about our warming, acidifying seas. From the eerie calls of early shell trumpets to the evolutionary miracle of spines and spires and the modern science of carbon capture inspired by shell, Barnett circles to her central point of listening to nature’s wisdom—and acting on what seashells have to say about taking care of each other and our world.

Download or read book A Natural History of Shells written by Geerat J. Vermeij and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 1995-04-23 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From “one of the master naturalists of our time” (American Scientist), a fascinating exploration of what seashells reveal about biology, evolution, and the history of life Geerat Vermeij wrote this “celebration of shells” to share his enthusiasm for these supremely elegant creations and what they can teach us about nature. Most popular books on shells emphasize the identification of species, but Vermeij uses shells as a way to explore major ideas in biology. How are shells built? How do they work? And how did they evolve? With lucidity and charm, the MacArthur-winning evolutionary biologist reveals how shells give us insights into the lives of animals today and in the distant geological past.

Download or read book The Algorithmic Beauty of Sea Shells written by Hans Meinhardt and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fascinating patterns on the shells of tropical sea snails are not only compellingly beautiful but also tell a tale of biological development. The decorative patterns are records of their own genesis, which follows laws such as those of dune formation or the spread of a flu epidemic. Hans Meinhardt has analyzed the dynamical processes that form these patterns and has retraced them in computer simulations. His book is exciting not only for the astonishing scientific knowledge it reveals but also for its fascinating pictures. An accompanying CD-ROM with the corresponding algorithms allows the reader to simulate the natural pattern formation and growth processes.

Download or read book Conchophilia written by Marisa Anne Bass and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-08-17 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A history of shells in early modern Europe, and their rich cultural and artistic significance"--

Download or read book Spirals in Time written by Helen Scales and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-05-07 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them. Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet. But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn't stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they've been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason's golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology. Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.

Download or read book What Lives in a Shell written by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1994-04-22 with total page 37 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What makes a shell like a house? A house is a home for you, a nest is a home for a bird, and a cave is a home for a bear. But for some animals a shell is a home. Snails and turtles and crabs and clams all have shells that act as their homes and protect them from harm. In this book you'll learn all about these and other crustaceous creatures, for whom a shell is just the right sort of home.

Download or read book Seashells written by Cindy Bilbao and published by The Countryman Press. This book was released on 2019-05-21 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experience the magic of the beach with this photographic collection of treasures in the sand Seashells are tiny treasures, each one completely unlike any other. Their variety of shapes, colors, and sizes makes collecting—and even searching for—seashells a favorite pastime of avid and occasional beachcombers alike. As she did for the ocean’s other jewels in Sea Glass and Sea Glass Seeker, photographer Cindy Bilbao captures the ridges, striations, and hues of delicate shells everywhere she finds them. Displaying sun- bleached fragments, glittering, cantaloupe- colored nacre, and scallop shells washed by the tides, Bilbao’s photographs embody magic and mystery. From weathered quahogs and mussels on the cooler shores of New England to a rich, chestnut-colored Florida Fighting Conch shell nestled in the sands of its namesake state, she describes in intricate detail how these shells are formed and why they look the way they do. Complete with Bilbao’s expert tips for finding the most unique shells and enjoying the hunt, Seashells is the perfect gift for any anyone who loves the beach.

Download or read book A World in a Shell written by Thom van Dooren and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2023-10-17 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the trails of Hawai‘i’s snails to explore the simultaneously biological and cultural significance of extinction. In this time of extinctions, the humble snail rarely gets a mention. And yet snails are disappearing faster than any other species. In A World in a Shell, Thom van Dooren offers a collection of snail stories from Hawai‘i—once home to more than 750 species of land snails, almost two-thirds of which are now gone. Following snail trails through forests, laboratories, museums, and even a military training facility, and meeting with scientists and Native Hawaiians, van Dooren explores ongoing processes of ecological and cultural loss as they are woven through with possibilities for hope, care, mourning, and resilience. Van Dooren recounts the fascinating history of snail decline in the Hawaiian Islands: from deforestation for agriculture, timber, and more, through the nineteenth century shell collecting mania of missionary settlers, and on to the contemporary impacts of introduced predators. Along the way he asks how both snail loss and conservation efforts have been tangled up with larger processes of colonization, militarization, and globalization. These snail stories provide a potent window into ongoing global process of environmental and cultural change, including the largely unnoticed disappearance of countless snails, insects, and other less charismatic species. Ultimately, van Dooren seeks to cultivate a sense of wonder and appreciation for our damaged planet, revealing the world of possibilities and relationships that lies coiled within a snail’s shell.

Download or read book One Hundred Seashells written by Harold Feinstein and published by Bulfinch. This book was released on 2005-09-22 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This follow-up to "One Hundred Flowers" features gorgeous color photographs of seashells both familiar and exotic.

Download or read book Oceans of Wisdom written by Linda J T and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2013-04-29 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Oceans of Wisdom is a collection of stories about wisdom, the oceans wisdom, pleasures of the ocean, life at the beach, ocean facts and creatures, and some of my personal stories about life. Most chapters open with a quote filled with ideas. I have set up this book in small chapters as thoughts to take with you to the beach or to keep on your bedside table, to think about throughout your life. I share the stories so you can be inspired and also to strengthen you, wherever you may be on your journey through-out your life. Maybe this book will nudge you in the direction of something new or just help you to make some sense of the journey you are about to take. I believe that the time you spend, whether reading or being in nature, at the beach, getting a massage, or meditating, is the time for your soul. I hope when you read this book that it speaks to you in a special way, the way the ocean has in my life. I seek to capture the essence of the mind and to share the oceans of wisdom with you.