Super Natural
How Life Thrives in Impossible Places
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
'Superb... A testament to just how beautiful and wonderful life on Earth is' Times Literary Supplement
'Fascinating' Guardian
'Brilliant' Daily Mail
From scorching deserts to frozen seabeds, from the highest peaks of the Himalaya to the hadal depths of the oceans, there are habitats on this Earth that appear inimical to life - yet in which it flourishes nevertheless. During the midday heat of the Sahara, silvery ants sprint from their nests to feed. In North American forests, wood frogs awaken each spring from solid blocks of ice. At the site of the Chernobyl disaster, fungi harness radiation to thrive.
Transporting readers to far-flung environments we could never call home, Super Natural paints an awe-inspiring portrait of life's resilience and ingenuity under the harshest circumstances. We meet creatures exquisitely adapted to endure unimaginable deprivations: of water, oxygen, food, sunlight. Alex Riley shows how, at nature's extremes, the rules of life as we know them are rewritten - and how, here, we can find hope for the future of life on Earth, and beyond.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This colorful survey from journalist Riley (A Cure for Darkness) explores the myriad ways animals, plants, and microorganisms survive, and even thrive, in environments previously assumed to be uninhabitable. The creative power of evolution is on full display as Riley describes how painted turtles overwinter in frozen ponds and slowly break down their shells to release carbonate, which acts as an antacid to protect them from deadly lactic acid buildup. Elsewhere, he outlines how some bacteria are comfortable in habitats as warm as 120 °C, while other organisms make use of "radiation around a million times more powerful than sunlight." Riley's examples have some far-ranging implications; from polar bears to intricate food webs in Antarctica, he notes that climate change is altering ecosystems and species' behaviors, explaining that even places thought to be "impervious to climate change," such as eastern Antarctica, are feeling the heat. He also describes how some animals' adaptations offer serious potential for medical advances, pointing out that naked mole rats' stretchy skin, ideal for life underground, may provide clues for combatting cancer, while frogs' ability to freeze their organs could lead to methods for keeping human organs viable for longer prior to transplantation. Filled with striking stories, vivid descriptions, and meaningful science, this is a fascinating account of resilience.
