Jellyfish by Peter Williams

Jellyfish by Peter Williams

Jellyfish are, like the mythical Medusa, both beautiful and potentially dangerous. Found from pole to tropic, these mesmeric creatures form an important part of the sea's plankton and vary in size from the gigantic to the minute. Perceived as almost alien creatures and seen as best avoided, jellyfish nevertheless have the power to fascinate: with the sheer beauty of their translucent bells and long, trailing tentacles, with a mouth that doubles as an anus, and without a head or brain. Drawing upon myth and historical sources as well as modern scientific advances, this book examines our ambiguous relationship with these ancient and yet ill-understood animals, describing their surprisingly complex anatomy, weaponry, and habits, and their vital contributions to the ocean's ecosystems.

“Engaging and handsomely illustrated. . . Enduring they may be; endearing they are not. Toy jellyfish, after all, are few and far between. ‘Octopuses, yes,’ Williams ruefully acknowledges, but ‘very, very few jellyfish.’ They are too toxic and they look too weird. But, he argues persuasively, if they are ineligible for affection, they at least deserve humanity’s respect.” * Economist *
"Combing through history, art, and science, Williams tells stories proving that these graceful watery creatures deserve our appreciation even while they elude our understanding." -- Mary P. Winsor, IHPST, University of Toronto

Peter Williams, who lives in Oxford, has a life-long interest in natural history and the contribution animals make to our culture. He is author of Snail (2009) in the Animal series.

SKU	Non disponible
ISBN 13	9781789142150
ISBN 10	1789142156
Titre	Jellyfish
Auteur	Peter Williams
Série	Animal
État	Non disponible
Type de reliure	Paperback
Éditeur	Reaktion Books
Année de publication	2020-04-13
Nombre de pages	192
Note de couverture	La photo du livre est présentée à titre d'illustration uniquement. La reliure, la couverture ou l'édition réelle peuvent varier.
Note	Non disponible