Spirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells

ISBN-13: 9781472911384 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 304 str.

Helen Scales

Opis

Seashells, stretching from the deep past into the present day, are touchstones leading into fascinating realms of the natural world and cutting-edge science. Members of the phylum Mollusca are among the most ancient animals on the planet. Their shells provide homes for other animals; have been used as a form of money; and have been a source of gems, food, and new medicines. After surviving multiple mass extinctions millions of years ago, molluscs and their shells still face an onslaught of anthropogenic challenges, including climate change and corrosive oceans. But rather than dwelling on all that is lost, Helen Scales emphasizes that seashells offer an accessible way to reconnect people with nature, helping to bridge the gap between ourselves and the living world. SPIRALS IN TIME: THE SECRET LIFE AND CURIOUS AFTERLIFE OF SEASHELLS shows why nature matters and reveals the hidden wonders that you can hold in the palm of your hand.

Recenzje

A rewarding glimpse of another world, filled with strange and reclusive creatures ... There is rich detail in all directions. One does not know what will come next. Often the descriptions made me see shafts of sunlight underwater, irradiating extraordinary places and creatures. That is just what the book does itself. The Guardian

Spis treści

1. Meet the shell-makers2. How to build a shell3. Sex, death and gems4. Shell food5. A mollusc called home6. Spinning shell stories7. Flight of the argonauts8. Treasure hunting9. Bright ideas10. The sea butterfly effect

O autorze

Helen Scales is a marine biologist, writer and broadcaster. Her stories of the ocean appear in various publications including National Geographic Magazine, the Guardian and New Scientist. Among her books are the Guardian bestseller Spirals in Time, which was nominated for the Royal Society of Biology Book Award, New Scientist book of the year Eye of the Shoal, and The Brilliant Abyss.Helen teaches at Cambridge University, is scientific advisor to the marine conservation charity Sea Changers, and divides her time between Cambridge, England and the French coast of Finistère.@helenscales / helenscales.com