Download or read book Spineless written by Juli Berwald and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2018-11-06 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A book full of wonders" —Helen Macdonald, author of H Is for Hawk "Witty, insightful. . . .The story of jellyfish. . . is a significant part of the environmental story. Berwald's engaging account of these delicate, often ignored creatures shows how much they matter to our oceans' future." —New York Times Book Review Jellyfish have been swimming in our oceans for well over half a billion years, longer than any other animal that lives on the planet. They make a venom so toxic it can kill a human in three minutes. Their sting—microscopic spears that pierce with five million times the acceleration of gravity—is the fastest known motion in the animal kingdom. Made of roughly 95 percent water, some jellies are barely perceptible virtuosos of disguise, while others glow with a luminescence that has revolutionized biotechnology. Yet until recently, jellyfish were largely ignored by science, and they remain among the most poorly understood of ocean dwellers. More than a decade ago, Juli Berwald left a career in ocean science to raise a family in landlocked Austin, Texas, but jellyfish drew her back to the sea. Recent, massive blooms of billions of jellyfish have clogged power plants, decimated fisheries, and caused millions of dollars of damage. Driven by questions about how overfishing, coastal development, and climate change were contributing to a jellyfish population explosion, Juli embarked on a scientific odyssey. She traveled the globe to meet the biologists who devote their careers to jellies, hitched rides on Japanese fishing boats to see giant jellyfish in the wild, raised jellyfish in her dining room, and throughout it all marveled at the complexity of these alluring and ominous biological wonders. Gracefully blending personal memoir with crystal-clear distillations of science, Spineless is the story of how Juli learned to navigate and ultimately embrace her ambition, her curiosity, and her passion for the natural world. She discovers that jellyfish science is more than just a quest for answers. It’s a call to realize our collective responsibility for the planet we share.
Download or read book Spineless written by Susan Middleton and published by Harry N. Abrams. This book was released on 2014-10-21 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Spineless, acclaimed photographer Susan Middleton explores the mysterious and surprising world of marine invertebrates, which represent more than 98 percent of the known animal species in the ocean. They are also astonishingly diverse in their shapes, patterns, textures, and colors--in nature's fashion show, they are the haute couture of marine life. This collection of more than 250 remarkable images is the result of seven years of painstaking fieldwork across the Pacific Ocean, using photographic techniques that Middleton developed to capture these extremely fragile creatures on camera. She also provides short essays that examine the place these invertebrates occupy on the tree of life, their vast array of forms, and their lives in the ocean. Scientist Bernadette Holthuis contributes profiles describing each species, many of them for the first time. Middleton's book is a stunning new view of nature that harmoniously combines art and science.
Download or read book Spineless written by Samantha San Miguel and published by Union Square & Co.. This book was released on 2022-06-07 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This exciting middle-grade adventure is Hoot for the Gilded Age—with scientific discoveries, secret plots, and surprisingly enormous fauna. When his asthma lands him at a health resort in the wilds of Gilded Age South Florida, twelve-year-old Algie Emsworth is over the moon. The scientific treasure trove of unexplored swamps may launch his dream career as a naturalist. But even Algie is startled when he happens upon a brand-new species and her brood in the karst springs surrounding the resort. Algie quickly realizes he must keep his discovery a secret: a famous collector of exotic animals is also staying at the hotel, and the new species is threatened by his very presence. An apparent curse has also descended upon the hotel, bringing with it a deadly red tide. But when the pool starts filling with ink and guests start getting mysterious, sucker-shaped wounds, Algie must pluck up his courage to find the truth about the goings-on at the Grand Hotel—and save the new species from destruction.
Download or read book Kraken written by Wendy Williams and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2011-03-01 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The enthralling examination of one of the most popular and most intriguing animals in the deep blue sea The ocean is the last remaining source of profound mystery and discovery on Earth with eighty percent of it still largely unexplored; thus, it is of perennial fascination. In Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid, journalist Wendy Williams introduces one of the ocean’s most charismatic, monstrous, enigmatic, and curious inhabitants: the squid. More than just calamari, squid species are fascinatingly odd creatures, with much to teach us about our own species, not to mention the obsessive interest so many of us can't help but have for the enormous beast that is the giant squid, which is quick to attack sperm whales, and even submarines and boats. Williams also examines other equally enthralling cephalopods, including the octopus and the cuttlefish, and explores their otherworldly abilities, such as camouflage and bioluminescence. Kraken takes the reader on a wild ride through the world of squid science and adventure, along the way answering some riddles about how the human brain works, what intelligence really is, and what monsters lie in the deep. Wendy Williams weaves a rich narrative tapestry around her subject, drawing powerfully on the passions and discoveries of scientists, fisherman, and squid enthusiasts around the world.
Download or read book Jellyfish written by Lisa-ann Gershwin and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2016-06-07 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to these bizarre and beautiful creatures of the sea, filled with color photos and illustrations: “Fascinating.”—Boing Boing Jellyfish are the oldest multi-organed life form on the planet, having inhabited the ocean for more than five hundred million years. With their undulating umbrella-shaped bells and sprawling tentacles, they are compelling and gorgeous, strange and dangerous. In many places they’re also vastly increasing in number, and these population blooms may be an ominous indicator of the rising temperatures and toxicity of the oceans. Jellyfish presents these aquarium favorites in all their glory. Fifty unique species, from the purple people eater to black sea nettles, are presented in stunning photos along with the most current scientific information on their anatomy, history, distribution, position in the water, and environmental status. Foremost jellyfish expert Lisa-ann Gershwin provides an insightful look at the natural history and biology of each of these spellbinding creatures, plus a timely take on their place in the rapidly changing and deteriorating condition of the oceans. Learn about immortal jellyfish who live and die and live again—as well as those who camouflage themselves amid sea grasses and shells, hiding in plain sight. Discover the jellyfish that’s the world’s most venomous animal, and the jellyfish that helped scientists win the Nobel Prize. They’re all here and more in this delightful volume. “A thorough coverage of jellyfish history, biology and ecology. Gershwin, a marine biologist who has discovered over 200 new species of jellyfish, does an excellent job of combining a compelling narrative of 50 different jellyfish with luscious, I-can’t-believe-they’re-real photos.”—Boing Boing
Download or read book Restless Creatures written by Matt Wilkinson and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2016-02-23 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From flying pterodactyls to walking primates, the story of life as told through the evolution of locomotion. Most of us never think about how we get from one place to another. For most people, putting one foot in front of the other requires no thought at all. Yet the fact that we and other species are able to do so is one of the great triumphs of evolution. To truly understand how life evolved on Earth, it is crucial to understand movement. Restless Creatures makes the bold new argument that the true story of evolution is the story of locomotion, from the first stirrings of bacteria to the amazing feats of Olympic athletes. By retracing the four-billion-year history of locomotion, evolutionary biologist Matt Wilkinson shows how the physical challenges of moving from place to place-when coupled with the implacable logic of natural selection-offer a uniquely powerful means of illuminating the living world. Whales and dolphins look like fish because they have been molded by the constraints of underwater locomotion. The unbending physical needs of flight have brought bats, birds, and pterodactyls to strikingly similar anatomies. Movement explains why we have opposable thumbs, why moving can make us feel good, how fish fins became limbs, and even why-classic fiction notwithstanding-there are no flying monkeys nor animals with wheels. Even plants aren't immune from locomotion's long reach: their seeds, pollen, and very form are all determined by their aptitude to disperse. From sprinting cheetah to spinning maple fruit, soaring albatross to burrowing worm, crawling amoeba to running human-all are the way they are because of how they move. There is a famous saying: "nothing in biology makes sense unless in the light of evolution." As Wilkinson makes clear: little makes sense unless in the light of locomotion. A powerful yet accessible work of evolutionary biology, Restless Creatures is the essential guide for understanding how life on Earth was shaped by the simple need to move from point A to point B.
Download or read book Octopus written by Katherine Harmon Courage and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-11-25 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A pleasant, chatty book on a fascinating subject.” — Kirkus Reviews Octopuses have been captivating humans for as long as we have been catching them. Yet for all of our ancient fascination and modern research, we still have not been able to get a firm grasp on these enigmatic creatures. Katherine Harmon Courage dives into the mystifying underwater world of the octopus and reports on her research around the world. She reveals, for instance, that the oldest known octopus lived before the first dinosaurs; that two thirds of an octopus’s brain capacity is spread throughout its arms, meaning each literally has a mind of its own; and that it can change colors within milliseconds to camouflage itself, yet appears to be colorblind.
Download or read book Life Traces of the Georgia Coast written by Anthony J. Martin and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 715 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever wondered what left behind those prints and tracks on the seashore, or what made those marks or dug those holes in the dunes? Life Traces of the Georgia Coast is an up-close look at these traces of life and the animals and plants that made them. It tells about how the tracemakers lived and how they interacted with their environments. This is a book about ichnology (the study of such traces) and a wonderful way to learn about the behavior of organisms, living and long extinct. Life Traces presents an overview of the traces left by modern animals and plants in this biologically rich region; shows how life traces relate to the environments, natural history, and behaviors of their tracemakers; and applies that knowledge toward a better understanding of the fossilized traces that ancient life left in the geologic record. Augmented by illustrations of traces made by both ancient and modern organisms, the book shows how ancient trace fossils directly relate to modern traces and tracemakers, among them, insects, grasses, crabs, shorebirds, alligators, and sea turtles. The result is an aesthetically appealing and scientifically grounded book that will serve as source both for scientists and for anyone interested in the natural history of the Georgia coast.
Download or read book Octopus Seahorse Jellyfish written by David Liittschwager and published by . This book was released on 2022-04-05 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this mesmerizing book of photography, acclaimed photographer David Liittschwager reveals the unnerving beauty of three notoriously mysterious sea creatures--the jellyfish, octopus, and seahorse--and how they perceive the world. The jellyfish, the octopus, and the seahorse are among the most wondrous species on Earth--as well as some of the most difficult to document using traditional photography methods. Enter celebrated photographer David Liittschwager, who has spent decades developing specialized portraiture techniques to capture these creatures' pulsating bioluminescence, translucent bodies, and ethereal movements. This luminous collection showcases 200 of Liittschwager's most revealing photographs, paired with penetrating essays that explain how a creature without a brain or without bones perceives the world. Bestselling science writers Elizabeth Kolbert, Jennifer Holland, and Olivia Judson explain the biology and advanced cognitive abilities of these spineless denizens of the deep, exquisitely evoking their unnerving yet undeniable charisma. In these pages, you'll glimpse a seahorse only half an inch tall, a moon jelly spinning off a snowflake-shaped clone, and the blinking comb jelly, which may be the most ancient living animal on Earth. Both enlightening and profound, this enchanting book documents the expanding frontiers of marine science, creating a powerful testament to the value and beauty of these little-seen--and endangered--species.
Download or read book Life on the Rocks written by Juli Berwald and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2023-04-04 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORKER AND BOOKLIST The story of the urgent fight to save coral reefs, and why it matters to us all Coral reefs are a microcosm of our planet: extraordinarily diverse, deeply interconnected, and full of wonders. When they’re thriving, these fairy gardens hidden beneath the ocean’s surface burst with color and life. They sustain bountiful ecosystems and protect vulnerable coasts. Corals themselves are evolutionary marvels that build elaborate limestone formations from their collective skeletons, broker symbiotic relationships with algae, and manufacture their own fluorescent sunblock. But corals across the planet are in the middle of an unprecedented die-off, beset by warming oceans, pollution, damage by humans, and a devastating pandemic. Juli Berwald fell in love with coral reefs as a marine biology student, entranced by their beauty and complexity. Alarmed by their peril, she traveled the world to discover how to prevent their loss. She met scientists and activists operating in emergency mode, doing everything they can think of to prevent coral reefs from disappearing forever. She was so amazed by the ingenuity of these last-ditch efforts that she joined in rescue missions, unexpected partnerships, and risky experiments, and helped rebuild reefs with rebar and zip ties. Life on the Rocks is an inspiring, lucid, meditative ode to the reefs and the undaunted scientists working to save them against almost impossible odds. As she also attempts to help her daughter in her struggle with mental illness, Berwald explores what it means to keep fighting a battle whose outcome is uncertain. She contemplates the inevitable grief of climate change and the beauty of small victories.
Download or read book Reef Life written by Brandon Cole and published by Firefly Books. This book was released on 2020-09 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Anyone fascinated by the underwater world will be riveted by the photos in this richly illustrated guide... Readers can lose themselves in the magnificent environment beneath the sea...." --Publishers Weekly on the first edition of Reef Life The lure of the life that inhabits the ocean's reefs and open waters is no secret to scuba enthusiasts and snorkelers who enjoy gazing upon this wonderful world through their dive masks. This practical and comprehensive guidebook for divers, naturalists and ocean lovers identifies the most commonly encountered animals and other organisms in the tropical marine environment and identifies them in more than 1,000 beautiful color photographs to provide a window into this magnificent world. This updated edition features new photos, 33 new species profiles and an extended chapter about the state of the ocean and reefs on our rapidly changing planet. Reef Life is a handy, portable and comprehensive reference in a time when understanding and appreciating the diversity of our tropical oceans is at a critical point. A gallery of over 425 ray-finned fish species, as well as elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates), invertebrates, marine reptiles and marine mammals, offers readers an extensive identification guide to the most commonly seen marine species, with detailed descriptions of size, habitat, range and behavior. The book also includes: A guide to tropical marine ecosystems; Surveys of global coral reef communities, from the Caribbean to the Red Sea; A discussion about factors threatening marine ecosystems today. This is an essential selection for marine science and travel/tourism collections, scuba divers and snorkelers, and retailers and libraries in oceanside locations.
Download or read book A Sea of Glass written by Drew Harvell and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2016-05-17 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The author makes an eloquent plea for marine biodiversity conservation."—Library Journal "Harvell seems to channel the devotion that motivated the Blaschkas."—The Guardian Winner of the 2016 National Outdoor Book Award, Environment Category It started with a glass octopus. Dusty, broken, and all but forgotten, it caught Drew Harvell’s eye. Fashioned in intricate detail by the father-son glassmaking team of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, the octopus belonged to a menagerie of unusual marine creatures that had been packed away for decades in a storage unit. More than 150 years earlier, the Blaschkas had been captivated by marine invertebrates and spun their likenesses into glass, documenting the life of oceans untouched by climate change and human impacts. Inspired by the Blaschkas’ uncanny replicas, Harvell set out in search of their living counterparts. In A Sea of Glass, she recounts this journey of a lifetime, taking readers along as she dives beneath the ocean's surface to a rarely seen world, revealing the surprising and unusual biology of some of the most ancient animals on the tree of life. On the way, we glimpse a century of change in our ocean ecosystems and learn which of the living matches for the Blaschkas’ creations are, indeed, as fragile as glass. Drew Harvell and the Blaschka menagerie are the subjects of the documentary Fragile Legacy, which won the Best Short Film award at the 2015 Blue Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit. Learn more about the film and check out the trailer here.
Download or read book Below the Edge of Darkness written by Edith Widder and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2021-07-20 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A pioneering marine biologist takes us down into the deep ocean in this 'thrilling blend of hard science and high adventure' (New York Times) LONGLISTED FOR THE SNHN NATURAL HISTORY BOOK PRIZE Edith Widder grew up determined to become a marine biologist. But after complications from a surgery during college caused her to go temporarily blind, she became fascinated by light as well as the power of optimism. Below the Edge of Darkness explores the depths of the planet's oceans as Widder seeks to understand bioluminescence, one of the most important and widely used forms of communication in nature. In the process, she reveals hidden worlds and a dazzling menagerie of behaviours and animals. Alongside Widder, we experience life-and-death equipment malfunctions and witness breakthroughs in technology and understanding, all of it set against a growing awareness of the deteriorating health of our largest and least understood ecosystem. 'A vivid account of ocean life' ROBIN MCKIE, GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE DAY 'Edie's story is one of hardscrabble optimism, two-fisted exploration and groundbreaking research. She's done things I dream of doing' JAMES CAMERON 'A book of marvels, marvellously written' RICHARD DAWKINS
Download or read book Insects of the Texas Lost Pines written by Stephen Welton Taber and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2003-07-01 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an isolated pine forest on the eastern edge of Central Texas, there lies an island of abundant and diversified life known as the Lost Pines. Separated from the rest of the state’s East Texas pine forests by more than one hundred miles, the Lost Pines marks the westernmost stand of the loblolly pine and is a refuge for plants and animals more typically associated with the southeastern United States where the tree originated. Surrounded now by pastures and scattered oak woodlands, the Lost Pines supports a remarkable ecosystem, a primeval sanctuary amidst the urban bustle of nearby Austin and of neighboring communities Bastrop, Elgin, and Smithville. This 100,000 acre island includes portions of Bastrop and Buescher State Parks, and it was here that Stephen W. Taber and Scott Fleenor encountered insect life of astonishing diversity. Setting out to identify and describe the insects and related animals most readily observed in the Lost Pines, they also discovered some hidden, rare, and never-before-described species. The result is this book, a bestiary of more than 280 species of invertebrates including insects, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, scorpions, mollusks, and worms. Each species description includes common and scientific names; information on biology, distribution, and similar species; and the authors’ special remarks. Many of these animals occur outside the forest, making Insects of the Texas Lost Pines a useful guide to Texas invertebrates in general. When you visit Bastrop State Park, you are likely to see more bugs and spineless creatures than any other form of animal life. The next time you go, turn over a few logs, look at the ants, and don’t swat the flies. Take along this new guide and open up a world of life in one of Texas's most unique and popular landscapes.
Download or read book Eye of the Shoal written by Helen Scales and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-05-03 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Scales's genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious.'- Science 'Delightful' - New Scientist Seventy per cent of the earth's surface is covered by water. This vast aquatic realm is inhabited by a multitude of strange creatures and reigning supreme among them are the fish. There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colours or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly. And yet the mesmerising and complex lives of fish remain largely underrated and unseen, living hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight and out of mind. Helen Scales is our guide on an underwater journey, as we fathom the depths and watch these animals going about the glorious business of being fish. As well as the fish, we meet devoted fishwatchers past and present, from voodoo zombie potion hunters and scientists who taught fish how to walk to nonagenarian explorers of the deep sea. Woven throughout are vignettes of Helen's own aquatic explorations, from eerie nighttime dives with glowing fish and up-close encounters with giant manta rays, to floating in the middle of a swirling shoal being watched by thousands of inquisitive eyes. As well as being a rich and entertaining read, this book will inspire readers to think again about these animals and the seas they inhabit, and to go out and appreciate the wonders of fish, whether through the glass walls of an aquarium or, better still, by gazing into the fishes' wild world and swimming through it. 'Engaging and informative' The Economist
Download or read book Animals Without Backbones written by Bobbie Kalman and published by Crabtree Publishing Company. This book was released on 2008-09 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invertebrates do not have backbones or internal skeletons, but some have hard coverings. Invertebrates are weird and wonderful creatures that come in every shape and color imaginable! Children will love the exciting photos!
Download or read book A Field Guide to the Marine Invertebrates of South Australia written by Karen L. Gowlett-Holmes and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
