Secret Worlds: The extraordinary senses of animals

Martin Stevens explores the diverse sensory systems of animals and the cutting-edge science that uncovers their secrets. He discusses how different animal senses work, how they evolve, and the impact of human activities on their navigation. The book celebrates the remarkable diversity of life and sheds light on important issues in animal behavior, physiology, and evolution.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The animal kingdom is a vast and diverse realm, home to an incredible array of creatures with unique sensory abilities. From the delicate senses of butterflies and moths to the powerful senses of sharks and lions, animals have developed sophisticated systems to perceive and interact with their environment. In this book, Martin Stevens takes us on a journey through the extraordinary variety of senses in the animal kingdom, exploring the cutting-edge science that is shedding light on these secret worlds.

Our senses of vision, smell, taste, hearing, and touch are essential for us to respond to threats, communicate, and interact with the world around us. This is true for all animals, as their sensory systems are key to survival. However, the sensory systems of other animals work very differently from ours. For example, many animals from spiders to birds can detect and respond to ultraviolet light, which we are blind to. Other animals, including many insects, rodents, and bats, can hear high-frequency ultrasonic sounds well beyond our own hearing range. Many other species have sensory systems that we lack completely, such as the magnetic sense of birds, turtles, and other animals, or the electric sense of many fish.

These differences in sensory ability have a major bearing on the ways that animals behave and live in different environments, and also affect their evolution and ecology. In this book, Martin Stevens explores the remarkable sensory systems that exist in nature, and what they are used for. He discusses how different animal senses work, how they evolve, how they are shaped by the environment in which an animal lives, and the pioneering science that has uncovered how animals use their senses.

Throughout, he celebrates the remarkable diversity of life, and shows how the study of sensory systems has shed light on some of the most important issues in animal behavior, physiology, and evolution. He also describes evidence of the disruptive effects of human activities on the way other animals navigate the world.

In conclusion, the animal kingdom is a fascinating and complex world, and the study of its sensory systems is shedding light on some of the most important questions in biology and ecology. By exploring the remarkable variety of senses in the animal kingdom, we can better understand the ways that animals interact with their environment, and how they adapt and evolve over time. This knowledge can help us to protect and conserve these incredible creatures and their habitats, and to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the wonders of the natural world.

Weight: 254g
Dimension: 128 x 196 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198813682