Caterpillars: Nature's Magicians

After publishing Entangled Life in 2020, biologist Merlin Sheldrake made a meal out of two copies of the book. He dampened the pages of the first copy, inoculated it with fungal spores, and feasted on the mushrooms that burst from its pages. He then macerated the pages of the second copy and fermented them into a beer he drank.

Sheldrake’s process of transforming these copies of his book embodies the themes he explores throughout its chapters. He examines what we know and don’t yet know about fungi, these mysterious organisms that transform their surroundings—and us. He argues that fungi are an understudied group of organisms that expand our imaginations and offer promising solutions to modern-day problems such as mental illness and environmental destruction. In our guide, we’ll present Sheldrake’s insights into fungal biology and why fungi matter. Throughout our guide, we’ll supplement Sheldrake’s insights with recent research on fungi and offer steps you can take to contribute to our scientific understanding of fungi.

Most features of the human body are just complex versions of those in simpler creatures that, at first glance, seem totally unlike us. As professor and paleontologist Neil Shubin explains in Your Inner Fish, understanding how a shark’s head, a reptile’s brain, and a fish’s fins developed makes sense of complicated and confounding human anatomy. Casting new light on the human family tree, Shubin explains how ancient fossils, embryos, and DNA all provide clues to a story of human development stretching back 3.5 billion years.

A foundational work in the field of biology, On the Origin of Species revolutionized the way we look at life on Earth. Published in 1859 by the naturalist Charles Darwin, this work explains and argues for the theory of evolution—that organisms weren’t created separately in their current forms, but that each species evolved gradually from other species over the course of millions of years.

Our guide explains the key mechanisms behind evolution and explores how it shapes the world. We’ll take a closer look at the objections raised against Darwin's theory by his colleagues and at Darwin's rebuttals. We’ll also explore why animals in Australia are all different from those in Asia, what happens when you try to breed two closely related species, and why human embryos have gill slits. Finally, we’ll extend Darwin's theories with updates from contemporary biology.

Most features of the human body are just complex versions of those in simpler creatures that, at first glance, seem totally unlike us. As professor and paleontologist Neil Shubin explains in Your Inner Fish, understanding how a shark’s head, a reptile’s brain, and a fish’s fins developed makes sense of complicated and confounding human anatomy. Casting new light on the human family tree, Shubin explains how ancient fossils, embryos, and DNA all provide clues to a story of human development stretching back 3.5 billion years.

In The Hidden Life of Trees, forester Peter Wohlleben delves deep into the world of old-growth forests, unveiling secret interactions, intricate networks, and fascinating behaviors among trees. Wohlleben draws on scientific research and his experiences to shed light on the ways trees interact with their environment and one another. The Hidden Life of Trees invites us to look at forests with renewed wonder and appreciation, emphasizing the importance of conserving these vital ecosystems and seeing them not just as resources but as living entities deserving our respect and protection.

In this guide, we’ll explain Wohlleben’s arguments for why trees matter and explore some characteristics of trees and forest that make them so remarkable. We’ll then talk about how we can better support and protect the world’s ancient forests. Throughout the guide, we’ll discuss the scientific basis of Wohlleben’s work and compare his conclusions with those of other ecologists and environmental activists, including Suzanne Simard (Finding the Mother Tree) and Robin Wall Kimmerer (Braiding Sweetgrass).

A foundational work in the field of biology, On the Origin of Species revolutionized the way we look at life on Earth. Published in 1859 by the naturalist Charles Darwin, this work explains and argues for the theory of evolution—that organisms weren’t created separately in their current forms, but that each species evolved gradually from other species over the course of millions of years.

Our guide explains the key mechanisms behind evolution and explores how it shapes the world. We’ll take a closer look at the objections raised against Darwin's theory by his colleagues and at Darwin's rebuttals. We’ll also explore why animals in Australia are all different from those in Asia, what happens when you try to breed two closely related species, and why human embryos have gill slits. Finally, we’ll extend Darwin's theories with updates from contemporary biology.

Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and author, Dawkins argues that biology’s focus on organisms is misguided, and that life should instead be considered from the point of view of individual genes trying to perpetuate themselves through countless generations.

Though the book begins with the premise that biologists think too large (organisms instead of genes), it ends with the surprising idea that they think too small—that genes have much greater impacts on the world than simply creating bodies to inhabit. Dawkins offers compelling arguments for why we should think about biology as ranging from the microscopic to the wider world.

What can our relationships with other animals teach us? That’s the question naturalist Sy Montgomery addresses in her memoir, How to Be a Good Creature. She explores the lessons about life and love she learned from various animals who touched her life, from a tiny pinktoe tarantula in French Guiana to a beloved 750-pound pet pig named Christopher.

In our guide, we’ll examine how the wisdom and companionship of animals helped Montgomery find her calling as a traveler and nature writer, appreciate animals and people in new ways, and cultivate love and community. These animals taught her how to be more curious, compassionate, friendly, loving, and much more—in other words, they taught her how to be a good creature. We’ll also discuss some of the science and history behind our relationships with other animals, along with ways you can apply the lessons Montgomery learned to your life.

A foundational work in the field of biology, On the Origin of Species revolutionized the way we look at life on Earth. Published in 1859 by the naturalist Charles Darwin, this work explains and argues for the theory of evolution—that organisms weren’t created separately in their current forms, but that each species evolved gradually from other species over the course of millions of years.

Our guide explains the key mechanisms behind evolution and explores how it shapes the world. We’ll take a closer look at the objections raised against Darwin's theory by his colleagues and at Darwin's rebuttals. We’ll also explore why animals in Australia are all different from those in Asia, what happens when you try to breed two closely related species, and why human embryos have gill slits. Finally, we’ll extend Darwin's theories with updates from contemporary biology.