Accidental Species
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The Accidental Species
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Author : Henry Gee
language : en
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Release Date : 2013-10-15
The Accidental Species written by Henry Gee and has been published by University of Chicago Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-10-15 with Science categories.
“With a delightfully irascible sense of humor, Henry Gee reflects on our origin . . . an excellent primer on how—and how not—to think about human evolution.” —Carl Zimmer, author of Parasite Rex The idea of a missing link between humanity and our animal ancestors predates evolution and popular science and actually has religious roots in the deist concept of the Great Chain of Being. Yet, the metaphor has lodged itself in the contemporary imagination, and new fossil discoveries are often hailed in headlines as revealing the elusive transitional step, the moment when we stopped being “animal” and started being “human.” In The Accidental Species, Henry Gee, longtime paleontology editor at Nature, takes aim at this misleading notion, arguing that it reflects a profound misunderstanding of how evolution works and, when applied to the evolution of our own species, supports mistaken ideas about our own place in the universe. Gee presents a robust and stark challenge to our tendency to see ourselves as the acme of creation. Far from being a quirk of religious fundamentalism, human exceptionalism, Gee argues, is an error that also infects scientific thought. Touring the many features of human beings that have recurrently been used to distinguish us from the rest of the animal world, Gee shows that our evolutionary outcome is one possibility among many, one that owes more to chance than to an organized progression to supremacy. He starts with bipedality, which he shows could have arisen entirely by accident, as a by-product of sexual selection, then moves on to technology, large brain size, intelligence, language, and, finally, sentience. He reveals each of these attributes to be alive and well throughout the animal world—they are not, indeed, unique to our species. The Accidental Species combines Gee’s expertise and experience with healthy skepticism and humor to create a book that aims to overturn popular thinking on human evolution. The key is not what’s missing—but how we’re linked.
Accidental Species
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Author : Timothy Donnelly
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1998
Accidental Species written by Timothy Donnelly and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1998 with categories.
Accidental Species
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Author : Kass Fleisher
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2005
Accidental Species written by Kass Fleisher and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2005 with Fiction categories.
Poetry. "In Kass Fleisher's wild and wonderful universe, 'the traffic was horrible and lots of people were late with their periods,' or again, the poet busies herself trying to 'express debt on a sly chart meant to show asset retribution.' If there is a 'question of the day' for her young couples, who 'naturally' refuse to share their food, it's 'who ate the oreos? who drank the tab?' The reader, turning the brilliant and hilarious pages of ACCIDENTAL SPECIES, hardly has time to come up for air before s/he is taken on yet another verbal space shuttle, engaged in language games at once preposterous and yet deadly in their accuracy. If you want to know what it's like to navigate the shoals of intellectual-life-on-a-shoestring, as it plays out today across mediated America, ACCIDENTAL SPECIES is the book you cannot afford to miss"--Marjorie Perloff.
The Accidental Ecosystem
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Author : Peter S. Alagona
language : en
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Release Date : 2024-01-02
The Accidental Ecosystem written by Peter S. Alagona and has been published by Univ of California Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2024-01-02 with Nature categories.
"The Accidental Ecosystem tells the story of how cities across the United States went from having little wildlife to filling, dramatically and unexpectedly, with wild creatures. Today, many of these cities have more large and charismatic wild animals living in them than at any time in at least the past 150 years. Why have so many cities--the most artificial and human-dominated of all Earth's ecosystems--grown rich with wildlife, even as wildlife has declined in most of the rest of the world? And what does this paradox mean for people, wildlife, and nature on our increasingly urban planet? The Accidental Ecosystem is the first book to explain this phenomenon from a deep historical perspective, and its focus includes a broad range of species and cities. Digging into the natural history of cities and unpacking our conception of what it means to be wild, this book provides fascinating context for why animals are thriving more in cities than outside of them. Author Peter Alagona argues that the proliferation of animals in cities is largely the unintended result of human decisions that were made for reasons having little to do with the wild creatures themselves. Considering what it means to live in diverse, multispecies communities and exploring how human and non-human members of communities might thrive together, Alagona goes beyond the tension between those who embrace the surge in urban wildlife and those who think of animals as invasive or as public safety hazards. The Accidental Ecosystem calls on readers to reimagine interspecies coexistence in shared habitats as well as policies that are based on just, humane, and sustainable approaches"--Provided by publisher.
The Accidental Homo Sapiens
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Author : Ian Tattersall
language : en
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date : 2019-04-02
The Accidental Homo Sapiens written by Ian Tattersall and has been published by Simon and Schuster this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-04-02 with Science categories.
What happens now that human population has outpaced biological natural selection? Two leading scientists reveal how we became who we are—and what we might become. When we think of evolution, the image that likely comes to mind is the iconic, straight-forward image of a primate morphing into a human being. Yet random events have played huge roles in determining the evolutionary histories of everything from lobsters to humans. However, random genetic novelties are most likely to "stick" in small populations. It is mathematically unlikely to happen in large ones. With our enormous and seemingly inexorably expanding population, humanity has fallen under the influence of the famous (or infamous) “bell curve.” This revelatory new book explores what the future of our species could hold, while simultaneously revealing what we didn’t become—and what we won’t become. A cognitively unique species, our actions fall on a bell curve as well. Individuals may be saintly or evil, narrow-minded or visionary. But it is possible not just for the species, but for a person to be all of these things—even in a single day. We all fall somewhere within the giant hyperspace of the human condition that these curves describe. The Accidental Homo Sapiens shows readers that though humanity now exists on this bell curve, we are far from a stagnant species. Tattersall and DeSalle reveal how biological evolution in modern humans has given way to a cultural dynamic that is unlike anything else the Earth has ever witnessed, and that will keep life interesting—perhaps sometimes too interesting—for as long as we exist on this planet.
Across The Bridge
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Author : Henry Gee
language : en
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Release Date : 2018-07-04
Across The Bridge written by Henry Gee and has been published by University of Chicago Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2018-07-04 with Science categories.
“Addresses an important topic for biologists and zoologists about vertebrates’ place in the ‘grand scheme’ . . . genuinely witty and charming . . . magnificent.” —Neil J. Gostling, University of Southampton Our understanding of vertebrate origins and the backbone of human history evolves with each new fossil find and DNA map. Many species have now had their genomes sequenced, and molecular techniques allow genetic inspection of even non-model organisms. But as longtime Nature editor Henry Gee argues in Across the Bridge, despite these giant strides and our deepening understanding of how vertebrates fit into the tree of life, the morphological chasm between vertebrates and invertebrates remains vast and enigmatic. As Gee shows, even as scientific advances have falsified a variety of theories linking these groups, the extant relatives of vertebrates are too few for effective genetic analysis. Moreover, the more we learn about the species that do remain—from sea-squirts to starfish—the clearer it becomes that they are too far evolved along their own courses to be of much use in reconstructing what the latest invertebrate ancestors of vertebrates looked like. Fossils present yet further problems of interpretation. Tracing both the fast-changing science that has helped illuminate the intricacies of vertebrate evolution as well as the limits of that science, Across the Bridge helps us to see how far the field has come in crossing the invertebrate-to-vertebrate divide—and how far we still have to go. “A beautiful ode to some of the least appreciated animals . . . guides the reader joyfully through deuterostomes—weaving disparate elements of embryology, paleontology, and morphology into an unprecedented and accessible narrative.” —Jakob Vinther, University of Bristol
The Accidental Ecosystem
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Author : Peter S. Alagona
language : en
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Release Date : 2022-04-19
The Accidental Ecosystem written by Peter S. Alagona and has been published by Univ of California Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2022-04-19 with Nature categories.
One of Smithsonian Magazine's Favorite Books of 2022 With wildlife thriving in cities, we have the opportunity to create vibrant urban ecosystems that serve both people and animals. The Accidental Ecosystem tells the story of how cities across the United States went from having little wildlife to filling, dramatically and unexpectedly, with wild creatures. Today, many of these cities have more large and charismatic wild animals living in them than at any time in at least the past 150 years. Why have so many cities—the most artificial and human-dominated of all Earth’s ecosystems—grown rich with wildlife, even as wildlife has declined in most of the rest of the world? And what does this paradox mean for people, wildlife, and nature on our increasingly urban planet? The Accidental Ecosystem is the first book to explain this phenomenon from a deep historical perspective, and its focus includes a broad range of species and cities. Cities covered include New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Austin, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Digging into the natural history of cities and unpacking our conception of what it means to be wild, this book provides fascinating context for why animals are thriving more in cities than outside of them. Author Peter S. Alagona argues that the proliferation of animals in cities is largely the unintended result of human decisions that were made for reasons having little to do with the wild creatures themselves. Considering what it means to live in diverse, multispecies communities and exploring how human and nonhuman members of communities might thrive together, Alagona goes beyond the tension between those who embrace the surge in urban wildlife and those who think of animals as invasive or as public safety hazards. The Accidental Ecosystem calls on readers to reimagine interspecies coexistence in shared habitats, as well as policies that are based on just, humane, and sustainable approaches.
Science
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Author : John Michels (Journalist)
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1897
Science written by John Michels (Journalist) and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1897 with Science categories.
Vols. for 1911-13 contain the Proceedings of the Helminothological Society of Washington, ISSN 0018-0120, 1st-15th meeting.
Accidental Chef
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Author : Chef Charles Oppman
language : en
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Release Date : 2011-07-27
Accidental Chef written by Chef Charles Oppman and has been published by AuthorHouse this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2011-07-27 with Biography & Autobiography categories.
Accidental Chef is a sobering account of what it's really like to be a professional chef, not the glamorized, sugar-coated depictions we see on cable television. This book offers a glimpse of what it really like to work in a hotel patry shop and a busy restaurant. When you read Accidental Chef you can't help feeling that you right there with Charles in the kitchen. Through his vivid descriptions you'll be able to imagine the sights, sounds and smells of a real kitchen. Accidental Chef puts a real face on the hospitality industry in America. Charles reveals many of the unsavory aspects of the hotel and restaurant business. For example, he relates true life stories about how our food supply isn't always as sanitary as we might believe. You'll get an idea of just how prevalent drug abuse and sex are in the food world. Through Accidental Chef, Charles also shares some of stories of the colorful characters he's worked with thoughout his long career. He illusrtates how professioanl cooking attracts a variety of characters. Charles introduces you to some of the bizarre people he's worked with. In his own words, Charles gives us the captivating story of how he abandoned a prosperous career in hospital adminstration to become a chef in New Orleans. It's an inspiring story for those who are disenchanted with their career, but are afraid of the risks of a career transition. Above all, Charles reveals the irrepressable determination and genuine love of cooking that made his success possible.
Alien Species And Insect Conservation
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Author : Tim R. New
language : en
Publisher: Springer
Release Date : 2016-06-09
Alien Species And Insect Conservation written by Tim R. New and has been published by Springer this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2016-06-09 with Science categories.
This overview of the roles of alien species in insect conservation brings together information, evidence and examples from many parts of the world to illustrate their impacts (often severe, but in many cases poorly understood and unpredictable) as one of the primary drivers of species declines, ecological changes and biotic homogenisation. Both accidental and deliberate movements of species are involved, with alien invasive plants and insects the major groups of concern for their influences on native insects and their environments. Risk assessments, stimulated largely through fears of non-target impacts of classical biological control agents introduced for pest management, have provided valuable lessons for wider conservation biology. They emphasise the needs for effective biosecurity, risk avoidance and minimisation, and evaluation and management of alien invasive species as both major components of many insect species conservation programmes and harbingers of change in invaded communities. The spread of highly adaptable ecological generalist invasive species, which are commonly difficult to detect or monitor, can be linked to declines and losses of numerous localised ecologically specialised insects and disruptions to intricate ecological interactions and functions, and create novel interactions with far-reaching consequences for the receiving environments. Understanding invasion processes and predicting impacts of alien species on susceptible native insects is an important theme in practical insect conservation.