Encyclopedia of Adaptations in the Natural World

This is a fascinating encyclopedia comparing the most important adaptations and evolutions in the natural world with the most important discoveries and inventions of human history.Welcome to the amazing world of adaptations, where species—including humans—develop fascinating new capabilities to ensure a competitive edge in their environment, or in some cases, survival itself. Encyclopedia of Adaptations in the Natural World is a wide-ranging catalog of the most important of those adaptations—from photosynthesis to the the peculiar “vampire”-like behavior of the tiny life form called the prion.The seven chapters in the Encyclopedia cover the key survival challenges all organisms face. Entries within those chapters cover specific adaptations from all forms of life, including animals, plants, bacteria, algae, fungi, and viruses. For each adaptation, the book also describes a related technological breakthrough in the human world, showing how engineers today study natural processes to help them develop new inventions.Provides diagrams of the process of photosynthesis, the functional areas of the human brain, and the bluefin tunaIncludes 58 photographs and electron microscope images illustrating the adaptations in the bookPresents bibliographic listings of key reference books, internet resources, and academic papers for further reading

"British writer of popular and academic science Simmons here adds to his non-technical canon by describing how some other creatures that share the planet deal with some of the issues facing humans: making and using energy, surviving the elements, locomotion, materials, building structures, sensing the environment, and communication. Among his examples are the chemical defense of the bombardier beetle, the lungfish surviving without oxygen, jet propulsion, gecko feet, termite towers, fire and smoke detectors, and plant communication." - SciTech Book News, "It offers a unique perspective on evolution and is recommended for science collections in academic and large public libraries." - Booklist, "Highly recommended for secondary audiences and curious lay readers." - Library Journal

Adam Simmons is a science writer who has written for popular and academic science journals, including Nature.