Strange Survivors: How Organisms Attack And Defend In The Game Of Life
by One R. Pagan /
2018 / English / PDF
191.5 MB Download
In the evolutionary arms race that has raged on since life began,
organisms have developed an endless variety of survival strategies.
From sharp claws to brute strength, camouflage to venom-all these
tools and abilities share one purpose: to keep their bearer alive
long enough to reproduce, helping the species avoid extinction.
Every living thing on this planet has developed a time-tested
arsenal of weapons and defenses. Some of these weapons and
defenses, however, are decidedly more unusual than others. Inside
this funny, fascinating field guide to nature's most colorful
characters, you'll meet killer snails, social bacteria, and an
animal with toxic elbows. But Strange Survivors is more than a
collection of curiosities-it is a love letter to science and an
argument for the continuing relevance of this evolutionary battle
as we face the threat of resistant bacteria and the need for novel
medical therapies. Whether discussing blood-thinning bats and
electric fish or pondering the power of cooperation, Pag�n reveals
the surprising lessons found in some of life's natural oddities and
how the tactics they employ to live might aid our own survival.
In the evolutionary arms race that has raged on since life began,
organisms have developed an endless variety of survival strategies.
From sharp claws to brute strength, camouflage to venom-all these
tools and abilities share one purpose: to keep their bearer alive
long enough to reproduce, helping the species avoid extinction.
Every living thing on this planet has developed a time-tested
arsenal of weapons and defenses. Some of these weapons and
defenses, however, are decidedly more unusual than others. Inside
this funny, fascinating field guide to nature's most colorful
characters, you'll meet killer snails, social bacteria, and an
animal with toxic elbows. But Strange Survivors is more than a
collection of curiosities-it is a love letter to science and an
argument for the continuing relevance of this evolutionary battle
as we face the threat of resistant bacteria and the need for novel
medical therapies. Whether discussing blood-thinning bats and
electric fish or pondering the power of cooperation, Pag�n reveals
the surprising lessons found in some of life's natural oddities and
how the tactics they employ to live might aid our own survival.