Encyclopedia of Adaptations in the Natural World

Why is a snake's tongue forked? How did certain deep sea creatures come up with headlights? How did parasites learn the "mind control" abilities that let them manipulate hosts? What inspired the invention of velcro and numerous other everyday materials? For all of the above: Adaptation.

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.

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 tuna
• Includes 58 photographs and electron microscope images illustrating the adaptations in the book
• Presents bibliographic listings of key reference books, internet resources, and academic papers for further reading