UniPress Books Autumn 2022

asked the Times Literary Supplement in 2017. A group of writers revealed that using narrative techniques often identified exclusively with fiction had freed them imaginatively to explore subjects grounded in the real world.

In 2018, we founded UniPress with the aim of producing thought-provoking nonfiction written by experts and intelligently designed to appeal to a trade audience. We are a close-knit team of creatives who share a passion for telling stories about our world in a manner intended to engage hearts and minds through words and pictures. We work collaboratively with the international publishing community to find the best authors, photographers, illustrators, and designers to tell those stories. We are passionate about illuminating the natural world around us; investigating the universe beyond; and exploring our knowledge of science, language, thought, and culture, past and present. And we love creating books. We have over seventy titles in print or production and a wealth of new ideas.

We hope you share our conviction that “books are a uniquely portable magic” (Stephen King).

Jenny Manstead managing director

“Is nonfiction the new fiction?”

New Releases

Mapping the World 6

Navigating Big Ideas

The Universe 26 Inspiring Curious Kids 29

Nature Watch

Planet Earth 50 Life on Earth

The Gift of Nature

History & Etymology

Books In Print

History & Language 90 Navigating Big Ideas

Inspiring Curious Kids

Nature Watch

Home & Garden

The

specifications

305 x 229 mm (12 x 9 in)

400pp four color and FSC

250 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 80,000

The World Atlas of Trees and Forests

Exploring Earth’s Forest Ecosystems

The Earth’s forests are havens of nature, vast tracts of treecovered land supporting a density of life that exists independently of humanity. Shaped by climate and geography, these dynamic and diverse wooded spaces are unique ecosystems that shelter unexpected and complex interdependencies between flora, fungi, and animal life.

The World Atlas of Trees and Forests introduces what a forest is; what it does; how it grows; and how it is mapped, assessed, and conserved. The book explores beneath the variety of wooded canopies that span the globe, profiling tree species and natural history highlights along the way. A range of maps, graphics, and beautiful photographs support the writing throughout.

about the authors

Dr. Herman Shugart is W. W. Cocoran Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Sassan Saatchi is Senior Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology and Adjunct Professor at UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability.

Dr. Peter White is Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina, and was Director of the acclaimed North Carolina Botanical Garden until 2014.

Dr. Jérôme Chave is the former Directeur de Rercherche of CNRS in Toulouse, France and is the winner of an IRPE Prize.

specifications 305 x 229 mm (12 x 9 in) 400pp four color throughout 250 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 80,000

The World Atlas of Rivers, Estuaries, and Deltas

Exploring Earth’s River Systems

From the Congo and the Yangtze to the Seine and the Mississippi, Earth’s rivers carve through landscapes before coursing into the oceans via estuaries and deltas. Their persistent flow carries sediment and more, acting as life blood for a huge variety of ecosystems and communities. More than any other geological feature, rivers have a valuable economic, social, and cultural impact, and our management of them often sits at the sharp edge of environmental issues.

The World Atlas of Rivers, Estuaries, and Deltas explores these dynamic bodies of fresh water, explaining how they function and the impacts they make at each stage of their flow. Maps and graphics accompany a broad collection of essays and beautiful photographs, combining to detail the diversity of life associated with a river, and the power a river wields.

about the authors

Stephen Darby is Professor in Physcial Geography at Southampton University, UK. He is Trustee of the British Society for Geomorphology and serves on the Council of the Royal Geographical Society.

James Leonard Best is the Threet Professor of Sedimentary Geology at the University of Illinois.

Luciana Esteves is Associate Professor in Physical Geography at Bournemouth University, UK.

Carol A. Wilson is Associate Professor at Louisiana State University. Her work centers on quantifying the eco-physical processes that shape deltas and coastal wetlands.

specifications

305 x 229 mm (12 x 9 in)

400pp four color throughout

illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 80,000

The World Atlas of Deserts

Exploring Earth’s Desert Ecosystems

Deserts, total and partial, account for one-third of land on Earth. Characterized by a lack of water and temperature extremes, they are the result of atmospheric stability, large landmass characteristics, rain shadows, and cold ocean currents. They appear harsh and hostile but are also exceptionally beautiful; desert ecosystems may teem with life, and their inhabitants demonstrate a broad and diverse ingenuity in the face of such extreme conditions.

The World Atlas of Deserts tours the Earth’s notable deserts, explaining the attendant dynamics and ecological profiles, and introducing the techniques used to categorize and map them. From the ever-expanding Gobi desert spanning Mongolia and China, to the ancient coastal Namib desert, maps, graphics, stunning photography, and succinct text combine to give an encyclopedic overview of this key geographical terrain.

about the authors

David S. G. Thomas is Professor of Geography at Oxford University and fellow of Hertford College, Oxford, UK. His research deals with desertification, dryland environments, and climate change.

Nick Drake is Professor of Physical Geography at Kings College, London, UK.

David Eldridge is Professor in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at UNSW Sydney, Australia.

Nick Middleton is a TV personality and Supernumerary Fellow in Physical Geography at St Anne’s College, Oxford, UK, and an expert in desertification.

Sallie Burrough is a National Geographic Explorer and Trapnell Fellow of African Environments at the University of Oxford, UK.

specifications

264 x 206 mm (8 x 10½ in)

256pp plus six gatefolds, four color throughout 100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 40,000

Charting the Course of River Cartography Mapping the River

It’s little wonder that rivers are a hot topic. Their ebb, flow, and flood gauge the health of our planet, and there is growing awareness that “rewiggling” rivers is essential to restoring natural floodplains and habitats.

Mapping the River navigates the human relationship with rivers by telling the story of over 100 outstanding examples of river cartography, with twelve of the maps flowing into glorious gatefolds. It considers the science and significance of rivers through attempts to chart their source, course, depth, and meandering change over time.

Thematic essays accompany examples ranging from the earliest wonders of ink and gold to the 3D, laser-guided depths of today’s breathtaking lidar maps. And by showing how one map influences the next, Mapping the River contemplates the future flow of our rivers, their mapping, and our world.

specifications

234 x 153 mm (6 x 9¼ in)

160pp four color throughout

50 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Short Cuts Science

Short Cuts Psychology

What with accelerating particles and gravitational waves, dark matter and light speed, nanoscales and exoplanets, the landscape of today’s science is a pretty exciting place to be. But how are you expected to navigate your way around this mindboggling and rapidly spinning world?

Short Cuts: Science provides the map you need to start exploring such seriously big ideas. Fifty quickfire questions are answered by fifty “short cut” sentences written by experts in their field, with each answer the setting off point for simple instructions that plot your route through an essential science subject.

With “one-stop” graphics capturing a memorable image for each idea, and “route map” glossaries explaining key words and their connections, Short Cuts: Science will lead you through a world of intellectual wonders.

About the Author

Mark Peplow is a science writer with twenty years of experience as a reporter and editor. He was formerly chief news editor at Nature and editor of Chemistry World. His writing spans the physical sciences: from astrophysics and planetary sciences, through chemistry and materials, to Earth and environmental science. Mark has a Masters in chemistry from the University of Oxford, a PhD in organometallic chemistry from Imperial College London, and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial. He lives in Penrith, UK, and spends as much time as possible hiking the Lake District fells.

specifications

234 x 153 mm (6 x 9¼ in)

160pp two-color throughout

50 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Do we really know how the human mind works or why people behave differently? Approaches to the science of psychology are changing, with new theories emerging to help us understand ourselves better. But how are you expected to navigate this challenging and mind-expanding world?

Short Cuts: Psychology provides the map you need to start exploring seriously big ideas. Fifty quickfire questions are answered by fifty “short cut” sentences written by experts in their field, with each answer the setting off point for simple instructions that plot a route through an essential area of psychology.

With “one-stop” graphics presenting a memorable theory or experiment for each of the concepts, and “route map” glossaries explaining key words and their connections, Short Cuts: Psychology will lead you unerringly through a world of psychological wonders.

About the Author

Dr. Jennifer Wild is Professor of Military Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She holds an affiliate position at the University of Oxford, UK, where she developed evidence-based interventions to prevent PTSD for emergency responders, now being delivered internationally. She has written for Nature news, the BBC, The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Psychologist. Author of Be Extraordinary: 7 Key Skills to Transform your Life from Ordinary to Extraordinary, Professor Wild applies science to understanding and preventing mental ill health.

specifications

234 x 153 mm (6 x 9¼ in)

160pp four color throughout

50 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Short Cuts Philosophy

What is knowledge? What makes me, me? Do we have free will?

People have been asking such fundamental questions about the nature of reality for centuries, but how can they help us make sense of our existence in a 21st-century world of social media, cyber wars, cloning, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality?

Short Cuts: Philosophy provides the map you need to travel beyond traditional foundations and explore a diverse array of deep thinkers. Soul-searching questions prompt “short cut” answers written by experts in their field, with each one the setting-off point for instructions that plot a path through the philosophical landscape.

With “one-stop” graphics visualizing a memorable theory or idea for each concept, and “route map” glossaries explaining key words and their connections, Short Cuts: Philosophy will help you wrestle with the meaning of ancient and modern philosophical thought.

About the Author

Dr. Laura D’Olimpio is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education at the University of Birmingham, UK, and adjunct at the Institute for Ethics and Society at the University of Notre Dame, Australia. She is cofounder and coeditor of the open access Journal of Philosophy in Schools and regularly contributes to public philosophy outlets such as The Conversation, Philosophy Now magazine, The Ethics Centre, and ABC Radio National’s The Philosopher’s Zone and The Minefield

specifications

234 x 153 mm (6 x 9¼ in)

160pp two-color throughout 50 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Short Cuts Medicine

Is there an epidemic of pandemics? Does climate change affect our health? Will AI ever replace doctors? Questions about medicine have always been central to society, but what can they tell us about our future well-being in a 21st-century world of antibiotic resistance and anti-vaxxers, organ transplants and gene therapies, miracle drugs and magic bullets?

Short Cuts: Medicine provides the map you need to explore the latest thinking in ethics, practice, treatment, and prevention. Incisive questions prompt “short cut” diagnoses written by experts in their field, with each one the setting-off point for instructions to help you plot your path through the medical maze.

With “one-stop” graphics visualizing a theory or idea for each topic, and “route map” glossaries explaining key words and connections, Short Cuts: Medicine will help you navigate the mysteries of the modern medical world.

About the Author

Adam Rodman is an internal medicine physician, medical educator, and historian. He studies how and why physicians generate and transmit knowledge and runs a research center on using digital resources for medical education. He is also host of Bedside Rounds, the award-winning podcast on medical history with the American College of Physicians. Adam received his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, and completed his postgraduate training at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; and Molepolole, Botswana.

160pp two-color throughout 50 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Short Cuts Maths

What with the mysteries of infinity and imaginary numbers, the power of mathematical modeling, and the logic and structures hiding behind real-life situations and digital worlds, the modern landscape of mathematics is an extraordinary place to explore.

Short Cuts: Maths provides the map you need to start exploring seriously big ideas. Puzzling questions prompt “short cut” answers written by experts in their field, with each one the setting-off point for instructions to help you plot your path through the mathematical maze.

About the Author

Dr. Katie Steckles is a mathematician who lectures in mathematics at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. Since completing her PhD in 2011, she has talked about math in schools, at science and music festivals, and in theater shows, and has appeared on BBC radio and TV programs, including QI. Online, she hosts the Mathematical Objects podcast with Peter Rowlett, and has her own YouTube channel, with one video gaining half a million views.

Short Cuts Economics

What with trickle down and level up, boom and bust, stimulus and stagflation, green investment and Black Monday, the modern landscape of economics is an intriguing place to explore. But how are you expected to navigate the means and ends of this turbulent world?

Short Cuts: Economics provides the map you need to start exploring seriously big ideas. A wealth of provocative questions prompt “short cut” answers written by experts in their field, with each one the setting-off point for instructions to help you plot your path through the economic maze.

234 x 153 mm (6 x 9¼ in)

160pp two-color throughout 50 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

With “one-stop” graphics visualizing a memorable theory or idea for each topic, and “route map” glossaries explaining key terms and their connections, Short Cuts: Economics is your expert guide to understanding the models, morals, minefields, and mechanisms of the modern global marketplace.

o AVAILABLE

specifications

x 153 mm (6 x 9¼ in)

two-color throughout

illustrations approx

word count: 40,000

The Trolley Murders

And Other Stories From Inside Philosophers’ Heads

Thought experiments have been an illuminating way to explore philosophical dilemmas since Zeno of Elea first imagined a foot race in which swift Achilles was unable to catch a tortoise with a head start.

The Trolley Murders explores such mindbending concepts from the inside out. It presents twenty philosophical thought experiments in the form of illustrated short stories, each with a different narrative voice: from a true crime podcast about a trolley killer to a slaughter house safety manual; from a customer review of a hesitant barber to Sherlock Holmes’ search for a missing color.

Punctuated with infographic explanations of the thinkers and thoughts behind the stories, this is the most entertaining introduction to complex philosophical thought since a team of monkeys stationed at typewriters managed to bash out Macbeth

About the Author

Tyler Gooch is a writer, comedian, and reformed philosophy student. Using the humor at the heart of his writing, he has published philosophy-related essays for various publications. As a nonacademic writer, Tyler is able to provide an approachable, layperson’s perspective on philosophical concepts to counterbalance the dense, notional nature of the texts from which these thought experiments derive. He lives in Orange, California.

PROBLEM (PHILIPPA FOOT, 1967)

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person in order to save a number of

of whether it is ethical to sacrifice

THE PHILOSOPHER

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HANDLE

THE LEGACY

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specifications

246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 93/4 in)

224pp four color throughout

200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 60,000

The Curious World of Science

A Visual Miscellany of Stories, Theories, Discoveries & Curiosities Plucked from the Scientific World

To some, science is simply a means to an end; to others it is an almost spiritual meditation on theories and formulae.

The Curious World of Science embraces both views and much more besides. Focusing on the human endeavors at the heart of science, it presents a miscellany of essential classifications, intriguing biographies, amusing curiosities, and irresistible trivia. Bite-size morsels of text explore the worlds of physics, chemistry, biology, and math, while also venturing into those magical areas where science meets art.

Derived from the text of the bestselling Science Magpie, this illustrated miscellany offers a system of icons to signpost different paths through the book. From the Large Hadron Collider rap to the sins of Isaac Newton, it offers a dizzying flight through the wonderfully human world of scientific knowledge.

About the Author

Simon Flynn has a suitably magpie-like nature. He has an insatiable curiosity for scientific treasures and rarities, and has enjoyed an eclectic career. With a genuine passion for science, he currently works as a science teacher, having previously been a writer, editor, and publisher. Simon has degrees in chemistry, philosophy, and science education, and his other published titles include The Internet From A to Z and The Ultimate Guide to Everything. Simon lives in north London with his wife and step-daughter.

RÖNTGEN’S DISCOVERY OF THE

Centenary Icons of Science

Hindu-Arabic

specifications

246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 93/4 in) 224pp four color throughout 200 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 60,000

The Curious World of Scientific Symbols

A Visual Directory of Meaning, Application & Interpretation

The Curious World of Scientific Symbols reveals the history, meaning, and application of the symbols we use every day, together with those that are a little more obscure.

Arranged over five chapters that cover different alphabets and numbers used in science and math, the book also includes a visual index to help identify the name or term for each of the featured symbols.

Feature spreads provide a change of pace and offer a deeper dive into the most iconic symbols, exploring their histories and detailing their modern applications.

With over 200 entries, the book is a curious mix of the known and the unexpected, helping to boost the brain power of the smartest science reader.

about the authors

Dr. Katie Steckles is a mathematician based in Manchester, UK. Her work to popularize and demystify mathematics has taken her around the world and onto TV and radio. Katie has received a number of awards, including the London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer for 2018.

Dr. Nate Adams is a biophysicist based in Munich, Germany. In his day job he works out the best way to shoot lasers at proteins. Outside of research he has worked as a science presenter and writer for TV and on stage, including for the BBC, Sky, and the Royal Institution.

specifications

228 x 165 mm (9 x 61/2 in)

224pp four color throughout

illustrations

Estimated word count: 45,000

Artificial Intelligence

Modern Magic or Dangerous Future?

The benefits and potential nightmares of artificial intelligence have long inspired science-fiction writers, but in a world where most of us carry a portable device that knows infinitely more than we do, these are increasingly real concerns.

Artificial Intelligence is the essential companion to this unsettling science. It surveys the history, philosophies, and current state of AI, and asks key questions such as how should robots think, and can machines really learn? With subjects ranging from the World Wide Web to artificial companions, the book considers such ethical issues as automated warfare, internet surveillance, and fake news, speculating on just how far robots will infiltrate our future.

This illustrated edition updates a previous text-based version by combining compelling photographs with “circuitboard” infographics to lift the curtain on the hidden world of AI.

About the Author

Yorick Wilks is a computer scientist with an interest in artificial intelligence and the processing of language, knowledge, and belief. He read Philosophy at Pembroke College, Cambridge, UK, and is now Emeritus Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Sheffield, UK; a Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute; a Senior Research Scientist at the Florida Institute of Human and Machine Cognition; and Visiting Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Gresham College, UK. He helped to design GATE architecture and won the annual Loebner Prize for modeling human-computer dialogue. His published books include Artificial Companions and Artificial Believers: The Ascription of Belief

specifications

228 x 165 mm (9 x 61/2 in)

224pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 43,000

The Science of Searching for Alien Life Astrobiology

The possibility that alien life exists in the universe is among the most profound of human conjectures, which today is being investigated not just by science-fiction writers but by scientists.

Astrobiology presents an expert guide to this compelling field of science. It shows how the tell-tale signatures of life on Earth might hold the key to detecting life beyond our planet; explores the many planets beyond our Solar System discovered by NASA’s Kepler and TESS missions; and explains alien-hunting touchstones such as Fermi’s Paradox, the Drake Equation, and the “Wow” signal.

As NASA’s rovers burrow into Mars and its probes peer ever farther into the cosmos, this illustrated edition combines deep space images with infographics to cast a scientific eye over the most significant of scientific treasure hunts.

About the Author

Andrew May enjoyed a thirty-year career as a professional scientist working in academia, the civil service, and private industry, before becoming a science consultant and writer. He gained an MA in Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge, UK, and a PhD in Theoretical Astrophysics at Manchester University, UK, before conducting postdoctoral research at Wolfson College, Oxford, UK, and at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, (where he worked with Seth Shostak, now of the SETI Institute). Andrew writes about the physical sciences as well as the scientific study of unexplained and paranormal phenomena, and his published titles include Destination Mars and Cosmic Impact

ANDREW

specifications

215 x 148 mm (81/2 x 53/4 in)

192pp four color throughout

75 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 60,000

Forty Ways to Know a Star

Using Stars to Understand Astronomy

Understanding the birth, life, and death of stars is key to a knowledge of astronomy. Stars are the building blocks of galaxies, and the age, location, and composition of stars explains the evolution and dynamics of the galaxy they exist within.

Astoundingly, there are 4,000 million stars in our galaxy and there are two million, million galaxies in our visible universe.

Stars are simply luminous spheres of plasma held together by gravity, but there are many kinds and many remarkable examples. Forty Ways to Know a Star offers distinct, factual approaches to explaining what a star is, each one illustrated with a bespoke graphic. Elegant writing, supported by beautiful photographic imagery of the heavens, makes the sometimes complex physics accessible.

About the Author

Dr. Anna Frebel is Family Career Development Professor and Associate Professor in the Astrophysics Division of the Physics Department at MIT. Frebel teaches Astrophysics and Classical Mechanics, and mentors research students. For her research in the oldest stars in the universe and the early evolution of the chemical elements she received awards such as the 2007 Charlene Heisler Prize (Astronomical Society of Australia), the 2009 Ludwig-Biermann young astronomer award (German Astronomical Society), and the 2010 Annie Jump Cannon Award (Americal Astronomical Society).

specifications

Slipcase: 192 x 127 mm (5 x 71/2 in) Book: 187 x 122 mm (43/4 x 71/4 in) 48pp four color throughout 60 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 6,000

Hidden Worlds: Colosseum

Peepshow Panorama and Book

Inspired by the artistic heritage begun in 1730 by the German engraver and publisher, Martin Engelbrecht, and developed during the 1800s throughout Europe as handmade paper concertinas that could fit into a pocket, these delightful paper peepshows continue the charming tradition of transporting the viewer into other worlds. Victorian peepshows depicted not only coronations, grand exhibitions, and great feats of engineering, but also distant cities, tourist landmarks, and historic events.

Now, in this new series of carefully crafted diaramas, children can marvel at gladiators fighting in the Colosseum, knights banqueting in a medieval castle, priests guarding an Egyptian temple, or Elizabethan actors performing in Shakespeare’s Globe. Tucked into the slipcase will also be an illustrated book providing the historical context to each unfolding scene.

About the Author

Mark Bergin studied at Eastbourne College of Art in East Sussex, UK, and specializes in historical reconstructions, aviation, and maritime subjects. In 2020, he served as the technical judge on the Daily Mail Weekend Magazine’s Britain in Spring painting competition.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (7½ x 9¾ in)

48pp four color throughout

40 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 4,200

Target age range: 7+

Hot Science for Curious Kids

Wild Lives

True Stories of Conservation Superheroes

Roofs that power homes, meat made in labs, and flying water taxis—these are just some of the latest innovations to affect our daily lives.

Each title in this series examines the hottest topics in science today and weighs up the pros and cons. How likely are they to succeed? Read and see what you think of these new technologies!

Imaginatively written by science experts and vividly illustrated with inspiring artwork, this series will encourage curious young minds to discover and understand our changing world.

Titles include:

• Powering the planet

• Nano science

• Magic materials

• Feeding the world

• Rewilding

• Future travel

about the author and illustrator

Cath Senker writes and edits books for children of all ages, and her book Far From Home: Refugees and migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty won the 2018 Educational Writers’ Award.

With an exciting style full of fun and vibrancy, Barcelona-based artist Iratxe Lopez de Munain uses color to give her work its special character. She launched her creative career by writing and illustrating her own children’s book in 2010 and has gone on to produce excellent work for major publishing houses and creative agencies around the world.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (7½ x 9¾ in)

32pp full color

15 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 500

Target age range: 4–7

The Wild Lives series tells the real-life stories of conservation superheroes from around the world, revealing the secrets of the creatures and the habitats that inspired them (and gave them their superpowers!).

Each title tells of the “superhero moment” when a young person discovered the animal that would transform their life. It explores their work and legacy, and describes their inspirational animal, its habitat, and the threats it faces.

Combining simple storytelling with beautiful artwork, this series takes a picture book approach to sharing important life stories with young children. It carries a gentle and positive message about how people from different backgrounds can become heroes by working for the conservation and protection of the natural world.

about the authors and illustrator

Anthony Kalume is from Kenya. He went to school with Michael Werikhe and later worked on conservation projects in Tsavo East National Park.

Cath Senker writes and edits books for children of all ages, and her book Far From Home: Refugees and migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty won the 2018 Educational Writers’ Award.

Kate Chesterton is an illustrator and animator with over fifteen years experience in creating traditional and digital imagery for screen, print, and animation.

specifications

280 x 215 mm (81/2 x 11 in)

224pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 17,000

The Wondrous World of Jellyfish Shapeshifters

Jellyfish are often dangerous and always beguiling. They come in a dazzling array of colors, shapes, and sizes, drifting through every ocean, from the surface to the deepest of the deep seas, and even in freshwater locations. Some are so delicate that they shatter with the smallest disturbance to the water, while the tenacity of others means they can withstand almost any temperature, level of salinity, starvation, and even being dismembered. And some jellyfish are considered biologically truly immortal.

Shapeshifters captures 100 species of these timeless organisms within its pages. Some splendid, some strange, some poisonous, some with surprising secrets, and some barely known, but every one remarkable and beautifully captured by stunning photography.

About the Author

Dr. Lisa-Ann Gershwin was born and raised in California, where several chance encounters with jellyfish lured her into their enthralling world. Nowadays, with two well-received books, including Stung: On jellyfish blooms and the future of the ocean, two TEDx talks, more than seventy peer-reviewed scientific publications, and 216 new species of jellyfish (plus one new dolphin!) to her name, she lives and works in Australia’s beautiful island state of Tasmania. Perhaps not surprisingly, her home is decorated like a jellyfish art gallery.

specifications 246 x 190 mm (93/4 x 71/2 in) 240pp four color throughout 120 photographs approx Estimated word count:60,000

The Animal Mind

Animal Cognition Through the Lens

We are only beginning to understand the animal mind as being as complex as ours. Recent research reveals that prairie dogs speak in full sentences, although their Mexican wave habit is yet to be fully understood. Gorillas use sign language to describe past events to researchers, so does this mean they ruminate and relive their lives? When an ant looks in a mirror to see a dab of blue paint on its head, it tries to clean it off, proving the ant is self-aware like us, so exactly where are the boundaries of difference?

The Animal Mind explores instances of remarkable cognition, communication, consciousness, and culture in the animal kingdom, to offer a true anatomy of intelligence. Sixty animals are profiled and their cerebral behaviors explored, and each creature is also illustrated with a beautiful and sensitive portrait by a world class nature photographer.

About the Author and photographers

Marianne Taylor has authored more than thirty books on natural history including The Way of the Hare, The Story of Life in 10 Species, and The Pocket Book of Bird Anatomy. She has recently completed The Gull Next Door and has written a number of guides for the RSPB. She specializes in evolutionary biology and her work focuses on the dance between habitat, behavior, and evolution. Her encyclopedic knowledge of animal life and an always rigorous line of questioning challenge her readers’ often-held assumptions and encourage a sense of discovery.

Photographers include Peter Delaney, Melissa Groo, and Joel Sartore

specifications

280 x 215 mm (81/2 x 111/4 in)

288pp four color throughout 200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 58,000

The Deep Ocean

Life in the Abyss

The deep sea makes up over 90 percent of the space on our planet where life exists. Our biosphere is mostly abyss. These cold, dark ecosystems beyond 200m in depth are dominated by enormous pressures, limited food, and slow currents. Canyons and cliff edges lead down to hadal trenches, chimneys, and chemical seeps. Life and how it behaves down here is remarkable and unexpected, and technology is revealing it at a surprising rate.

Top-name scientists in the field coauthor this authoritative, beautifully presented tome to explain Earth’s last true wilderness. From oceanography and habitats, to the organisms and their behaviors; accessible description, graphics, and photos combine to illuminate the world’s deep oceans and the life therein.

About the Authors

Dr. Michael Vecchione works for the NOAA as adjunct zoologist at the National Museum of Natural History, and Curator of Cephalopoda and Pteropoda at the Smithsonian.

Dr. Louise Allcock is Professor of Natural Sciences at NUI Galway, Ireland. Allcock is President of the Cephalopod Advisory Council and editor of the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

Dr. Imants Priede is Professor Emeritus at the University of Aberdeen, UK.

Dr. Hans Van Haren is Senior Scientist for NIOZ; an experimental physicist and physical oceanographer, he studies all aspects of turbulence in seas and oceans.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (81/2 x 111/4 in)

192pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Blueprints for Animal Homes

The Form and Function of Structures by Other Species

02

The beaver

Beavers shape their environments on a massive scale. They build large retention dams, which encourage the growth of favored tree species. They also construct an elaborate lodge, providing the beaver and its kits with a defensive shelter against cold and predators.

Why does a paradise fish maintain a perfect nest of bubbles for their eggs? How do bees exploit surface tension in their honeycombed constructions? What benefit do a pair of hornbills enjoy when the female is walled up in a hole for three months? Nothing an animal builds is without purpose. The delicate balance of energy expended in order to stay warm, feed, and breed is so central to existence that the resulting architectures could be seen as extensions of the animal itself, strategies to control the lifegiving elements.

Written by acclaimed author J. Scott Turner, Animal Architects profiles a selection of remarkable builds to reflect the evolution and behaviors of forty-five remarkable species, each story supported by stunning photography and blueprintstyle graphics.

About the Author

Dr. J. Scott Turner is a leading biologist and physiologist and Professor of biology at the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, in Syracuse, New York. His work at the interface of physiology, evolution, and design has garnered attention in the New York Times Book Review, Science, Nature, American Scientist, National Geographic Online, NPR’s Science Friday, and other leading media outlets.

The beaver is the second largest rodent in the world. The South American capybara is the largest. (The Pleistocene giant beaver has the capybara beat: it was as large as bear.) There are two species of beaver living today. Castor canadensis live in North America, and Castor fiber is found in Eurasia Both species once ranged extensively over their respective territories. In North America, the range extended into Florida and Mexico. The Eurasian beaver ranged as far south as Syria and Iraq. Both species were hunted to near extinction in the nineteenth century. Their populations have since recovered, but not their range. Presently, beavers are abundant in the boreal and wet temperate latitudes of both continents, where streams and rivers abound. The beaver’s second distinction is as an animal engineer. Nearly every living thing engineers its environment to a degree, even if the results of that engineering are not always obvious. That is not the case for the beaver. They are hydraulic engineers par excellence modifying rivers, streams and wetlands on a scale that rival humans, at least did until our species’ predilection for massive hydraulic schemes took root in the early twentieth century,. The beaver lives in colonies consisting of mature male and female and their o spring, who stay with the family for about two years. Being large mammals, beaver family requires a great deal of food, consisting of fresh aquatic vegetation, as well as the new flesh of rapidly growing wetlands species of trees like aspen, alder or birch. Beavers engineer their local hydrology to cultivate the plant species they like to eat. The project starts with a beaver family felling saplings around the margins of streams and wetlands, using their reinforced incisor teeth as chisels. They then float the cut saplings downstream toward the lodge, where they are cached. At the same time, the beaver family builds a dam to block stream flow, first laying down a foundation of stones, plastered together with mud. Twigs and saplings are added to this, also mortared into place with mud, with additional stones added. As the impounded water levels rise, the beavers excavate canals into the flooded areas upstream, allowing them to harvest more saplings from wider territory, which in turn extends the sunny wet habitats preferred by the beavers’ favored plants. The beavers’ labors, year upon year, modifies the forest ecosystem on wide scale. The dam itself is an engineering marvel. Beaver dams can be quite large, up to 700 meters wide and five meters tall. The construction gives the dam resiliency that does not exist in ordinary earthen dams. The twigs and saplings act as gabion, dissipating energy in the flowing water before can erode the foundation beneath. The dam is also permeable, which allows sudden rises in stream flow to flow harmlessly through it, unlike earthen dams which are prone to erosion and failure when the impounded water rises too high. The

beaver dam even serves as a fish ladder, allowing fish to wriggle their way through the numerous gaps between sticks. The impounded water recharges underground water resources, so that streams that had come and gone prior to the beaver family arriving become more permanent, expanding upstream habitats for fish. The rising water behind the dam poses a problem for the beaver, however, which is where the colony should live. A young beaver, having left its birth lodge, will seek to establish its own new territory, excavating a den in river bank meanwhile. As water levels rise behind its dam, the bank den can flood. At this point, the beaver will construct a lodge in the middle of the rising pond.

The visible (to humans) part of the beaver lodge is a seemingly haphazard pile of sticks and branches that rises above water. It is a remarkably sophisticated structure. Within that pile is domed living space, floored with a platform built from mud and lined with plant litter and shed fur. A plunge hole or two give the beavers access to the surrounding waters, even when the pond is frozen over. Nearby is an underwater cache of twigs and vegetation that can tide the beavers over the winter, when foraging is impossible. That pile of sticks is also anything but haphazard. Like the dam, it is an engineered structure made from sticks and mud that solves basic problem for any enclosed and inhabited space: how to keep the living space from getting stu

Guinea pigs are also precocial. Mothers have a relatively long pregnancy, of around 65 days, then give birth to babies that are like mini-adults. The have open eyes, fur, teeth, and claws, and can eat solid food almost immediately. Precociality is a useful strategy in species where the young are not easily protected. Hares, for example, make their homes in open fields, so their young (leverets) are born precocial and are “good to go.”

SAFEGUARDING THE UNBORN

Some animals have evolved clever strategies to protect their unborn. In North America, for example, little brown bats mate in the autumn. Females store the sperm internally through the cold winter months, and then fertilize their eggs and give birth in the spring. This is called “seasonal delayed implantation.”

Fertilization occurs immediately after the nine-banded armadillo has sex, but the development of the embryo is put on hold for three to four months. After this period of “embryonic diapause,” the embryo then implants into the womb, and splits into four identical quadruplets, which are born around five months later. If the armadillos are stressed, as can happen in captivity, diapause can be extended by up to one year or more.

MARSUPIALS

Most marsupials are large mammals,

The duck-pilled platypus (below), from eastern Australia, is one of the few egg-laying mammals to exist. Twenty-eight days after mating, females lay up to three leathery, soft-shelled eggs in a specially-built burrow, then incubate them for around 10 days. On hatching, the young are blind and hairless. They feed on their mother’s milk, which is released through pores in her skin. Four species of echidna (spiny anteater) also lay eggs. The female lays just one egg, 22 days after mating, and immediately puts it into her pouch. The young echidna, called a puggle, hatches 10 days later and

How Nature Keeps Time

A Visual Guide to the Cycles and Timespans of the Natural World

Which organisms live the longest? How does the natural world recover from fire? How long do eggs take to hatch? What are the world’s fastest and slowest growing plants? Which species invest the most in parental care?

The graphic number line is a remarkably powerful pattern that explains much of our world, and throughout How Nature Keeps Time it visually maps the amounts of time bounded by growth, distance, age, reproduction, sleep, death, and other key behaviors. As the natural world draws our attention to its plight, this fascinating book offers a calm, clear-thinking series of visual graphic explanations based around the ultimate objective measure—time.

About the Author

Dr. Helen Pilcher is a science writer, presenter, and performer based in the UK. She has written for Nature, the Guardian, BBC Science Focus, and the New Scientist. She has a PhD in Cell Biology from the London Institute of Psychiatry and ran the Royal Society’s Science in Society Programme before becoming a full time writer. Her previous books include Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction, Mind Maps: Biology, and The Pocket Book of Backyard Experiments

specifications

228 x 165 mm (9 x 61/2 in)

224pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 50,000

How Birds Live Together

Colonies and Communities in the Avian World

Some bird species don’t take the isolationist approach to nesting and establishing a territory. If the right place to nest is not where food is found, the result is a breeding colony families setting up home close together, and commuting far away to reach feeding grounds. Visiting these dynamic and deafening avian conurbations can put us in mind of our own towns and cities. The citizens live shoulder to shoulder but still fiercely defend their own small circle of space against neighborly intrusion. Disputes, rivalry, jealousy, and deception are commonplace, but when danger from the outside threatens any individual, the whole community rises together to meet the threat. This book explores the form and function of bird societies around the world, from tropical forest to isolated island, and even on the rooftops of our own cities.

About the Author

Marianne Taylor has authored more than thirty books on natural history including The Way of the Hare, The Story of Life in 10 Species, and The Pocket Book of Bird Anatomy. She has recently completed The Gull Next Door and has written a number of guides for the RSPB. Her interest in marine life goes back to her childhood, growing up in an English coastal town, where she spent as much time as possible in the sea, if not beside it. She has since become fascinated by the science that is changing the way we understand the family ties of all life on Earth.

specifications 228 x 165 mm (9 x 61/2 in) 224pp four color throughout 110 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 50,000

Rewilding

The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery

With its sense of hope and purpose, rewilding is breathing new life into the conservation movement, blending radical scientific insights with practical innovations to revive essential ecological processes.

Rewilding reveals the ways in which ecologists are restoring the lost interactions between animals, plants, and natural disturbances that are the essence of thriving ecosystems. It looks into a past in which industrialization and globalization have downgraded our grasslands; at present projects restoring plants and animals to their natural, untamed state; and into the future, with ten predictions for a rewilded planet.

This illustrated edition combines beautiful natural history images with infographic flow-charts depicting the “trophic cascades” of biodiverse ecosystems, to explore a brave new world repopulated with wild horses and cattle, beavers, rhinos, and wolves.

About the Authors

Paul Jepson is Nature Recovery Lead with Ecosulis Ltd. in the UK and was until recently a director of Oxford University’s MSc course in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management.

Cain Blythe is Managing Director of Ecosulis Ltd. and specializes in habitat restoration, particularly through the adoption of natural regeneration techniques, nature recovery, and the use of technology in conservation.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (93/4 x 71/2 in)

224pp four color throughout

100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

Forest School for Grown Ups

Explore the Wisdom of the Woods

Forest schools for kids originated in Scandinavia as outdoor playbased learning groups. By the 1990s, forest schools had been established in Germany, California, and the UK with the benefits of nature play being internationally recognized and in 2016 The Forest School Foundation was established in the USA.

But why should kids have all the fun? Connecting with green spaces, trees, and plants can lift our spirits, lower our stress levels, and relax our brains—in short, playing outside is good for adults too.

Forest School for Grown Ups is here to help. From finding your way in the woods to foraging for food, knowing your knots and whittling utensils, you can learn new skills and practice forgotten ones.

Beautifully designed, with an engaging writing style and high production values, the 130+ entries in Forest School for Grown Ups provide the perfect resource for kids of all ages to enjoy spending quality time outdoors.

About the Author and Illustrator

Richard Irvine is an experienced outdoor educator, trainer, and writer specializing in experiential learning in woodlands. He has a passion for the power of residential and outdoor learning and has an in-depth understanding of the subject.

Ulysses Black is a talented visual artist based in Brighton, UK. His linocuts have featured widely on theater poster design and arts venues. His unique handmade lino cut illustrations feature on the cover of Forest School for Grown Ups as well as throughout the book as chapter openers.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (93/4 x 71/2 in)

224pp four color throughout

illustrations approx

word count: 45,000

Explore the Wisdom of the Wild Nature Studies for Grown Ups

When we are children, we are curious about everything, especially nature. We pick up worms, look for birds’ nests, chase butterflies, collect sticks, climb trees—in short, we find wonder all around us in the great outdoors. As we get older, that curiosity may wane—but why should it?

It’s important for children to study and learn about nature— but grown-ups, too, can benefit hugely from getting outside to experience all the fascinating, life-enhancing fun and joy to be found in the life and landscapes that fill all corners of our planet. And there’s no better guide and inspiration than Nature Studies for Grown Ups, full of lively and informative text, practical tips, exciting projects, and beautiful illustrations.

Covering every kind of environment and habitat—grassland and farmland, woods and forests, hills and mountains, rivers and lakes, the coast, this town and city—this book contains hundreds of outdoor activities.

About the Author and Illustrator

Richard Irvine is an experienced outdoor educator, trainer, and writer specializing in experiential learning in woodlands. Further to his earlier success with Forest School for Grown-Ups, Richard has turned his attention to closely observing nature rather than surviving in it.

Ulysses Black is a talented visual artist based in Brighton, UK. His linocuts have featured widely on theater poster design and arts venues. His unique handmade lino cut illustrations feature on the cover of Nature Studies for Grown Ups as well as throughout the book as chapter openers.

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

224pp four color throughout

100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 50,000

Outbreaks & Pandemics

Fighting Infection, from Smallpox to Coronavirus

For decades scientists have been warning of global pandemics, and the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak realized their worst fears.

Outbreaks & Pandemics, written on the eve of the pandemic, has proved to be grimly prophetic. It narrates a disquieting journey through the history, science, and politics of humankind’s ongoing war against contagion; investigates modern responses; and assesses the chances of eradicating disease in the future. It also reveals how globalization, mobile populations, climate change, vaccine hesitancy, and drug-resistant pathogens have combined to create the perfect conditions for pandemics to spread.

This updated and illustrated edition is essential reading, combining extensive research with illuminating photographs and infographics to chart the pattern of outbreaks and reveal the microscopic world at their heart.

an

About the Author

Meera Senthilingam is a journalist, editor, and public health consultant specializing in global health and infectious disease. She obtained a BSc in Biology from the University of Nottingham, UK, and a Masters degrees in Science Communication at Imperial College London, and in the Control of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Meera is a health editor for CNN, and has worked with the BBC and with global health programs as well as research institutions including the LSHTM and the Wellcome Trust.

Acentury ago, from 1918 to 1920, the world grappled with the most severe and deadly pandemic in recent history. An H1N1 influenza virus, thought to have originated from birds, swept across the planet infecting 500 million people. This was the Spanish flu pandemic, in which infections were powerful enough to kill young, healthy adults, not just the elderly and infirm as with regular, seasonal influenza. Striking at a time when vaccines and treatments were not available and a world war was under way, the virus unsurprisingly had devastating consequences. The only weapons to hand were isolation and quarantine along with attempts to promote good hygiene. H1N1 would leave its mark as something to be feared throughout history, ending in 1920 with no clear understanding about how it was stopped.

Modern pandemics In 1957, another influenza strain emerged in East Asia, H2N2, triggering a pandemic known as the Asian flu, first reported in Singapore and spreading as far as the United States, killing an estimated 1.1 million people worldwide. Yet another strain, H3N2, began spreading in the United States in 1968, killing a further 1 million people worldwide. These latter two pandemics are lesser known, but their damage was extensive and reminded populations at the time of the damage a new infection, particularly influenza, can inflict.

In 2003 we saw SARS, a previously unknown virus, surge across an unprotected population to infect thousands across Asia and reach all corners of the globe. Six years later, in 2009, we were reminded of the power of influenza as a new form of H1N1 emerged in Mexico, soon reaching the United States, Canada, and promptly the rest of the world. The severity of the pandemic was lower than predicted, but 214 countries globally reported cases and at least 18,500 people died—though some studies show this to be a vast underestimate, with one study by the CDC suggesting fifteen times more people died, an estimated 284,000. This time the world had antiviral treatments and vaccine technologies, as well as international agreements to help countries work together to curtail the spread, but there was a new societal norm to contend with: population mobility.

People harboring the virus were on planes and trains travelling to new destinations before they even knew they were sick, helping H1N1 reach six continents within just nine weeks of it first being reported. (There is more on this pandemic in Chapter 7.)

More than half the world’s population are thought to be at risk of contracting dengue, a virus spread by the bite of an infected mosquito that causes anything from severe headaches, joint pain, and swollen glands to severe bleeding, persistent vomiting, and rapid breathing. Some people show no symptoms at all, helping the disease to spread, while in rare circumstances the virus can prove fatal, making every infection a game of chance. Today, thanks to globalization and overpopulation, an estimated 3.9 billion people have no choice but to take the gamble. Because some people see no symptoms, the true number of cases is impossible to find out, but more than 1.7 million were reported to the WHO in 2019, though models estimate there could be as many as 390 million each year. It is the only mosquito-borne disease to have increased exponentially in recent years. Dengue’s takeover has been a gradual one, a tortoise in the race where airborne outbreaks were the hares. Before 1970, nine countries had experienced severe dengue epidemics and now more than 120 are fighting the disease, aided by warming climates, rapid and unplanned urbanization, and poor health services in these urban environments. Jan Semenza of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control believes the movement of people is responsible for the majority of epidemic events, but this also needs the movement, or existence, of mosquitoes as without them the virus cannot spread between humans.

has undergone a “massive global expansion” according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. It is now widely found in many new regions, including most of Europe, due to the global trade in tyres and in ornamental bamboo plants, both of which can provide shallow pools of water for mosquitoes to breed in. Aedes albopictus is now listed as one of the top 100 invasive species. It spreads dengue less efficiently than its aegypti cousin but can spread it nonetheless.

This flow of people and mosquitoes has inevitably helped the dengue virus spread. The Americas and Asia continue to be the most affected regions by far, experiencing millions of cases each year, with Asia facing 70 percent of the dengue burden. But cases are now reported on every continent except Antarctica, both imported and locally transmitted. Europe has seen more than 2,000 cases each year since 2015, the large majority of which are imported cases. For example, in 2018 a total of fourteen locally transmitted cases were reported in France and Spain, but this shows the mosquito vector is present and capable of causing greater damage when the conditions are right. The situation is similar in North America. The US reported more than 860 cases in 2019, with at least twelve of these transmitted locally. With its ability to cause both no symptoms and severe disease, Dengue has slipped in and caused just enough harm to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with.

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

224pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 52,000

There are more than 30,000 known fish species, and they have evolved to flourish in diverse aquatic environments. Looking at anatomy, methods of communication, life histories, and feeding habits, How to Read a Fish presents an eye-opening, engaging account of underwater life. Special features highlight key evolutionary adaptations and tips, and every page is illustrated with stunning photography and useful graphics.

About the Author

Philip A. Hastings is Professor of Marine Biology and Curator of Marine Vertebrates at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. His studies include the systematics and phylogeny of fishes, marine biogeography, ecology, and behavioral evolution of fishes, and marine conservation biology. He is coauthor of Fishes: A Guide to Their Diversity

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

224pp four color throughout 150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 52,000

A Smart Guide to Understanding Tree Behavior How to Read a Tree

Forests and trees play a critical role in life on Earth. Their most obvious impact is in heavily wooded areas such as the Amazon and Congo Basins where they provide food and shelter for the world’s most diverse ecosystems. Not only are they vital for the resident wildlife, lesser plants, lichens, fungi, and microorganisms, but they can also determine conditions over a far larger area. The moisture they trap, the carbon dioxide they absorb, and the oxygen they release affects the climate way beyond the areas they cover.

Most immediately they are the dominant force controlling the moist warm conditions of the Tropics. Their impact extends far beyond this, however, affecting life thousands of miles away in treeless deserts and even in the deepest oceans. Trees affect all life on Earth.

How to Read a Tree shows how trees have always been critical to humans.

About the Author

Daniel Butler is an environmental writer and mushroom forager. A Cambridge history graduate, he was editor of Tree News, the magazine of Britain’s Tree Council and his book, How to Plant a Tree, won a gold award in the 2011 Nautilus Book Awards. Among his other nonfiction titles are Urban Dreams: Rural Realities, Fungi Forays, and The Owl House. He also teaches writing skills to graduate students at Aberystwyth University, UK.

A Smart Guide to What a Fish is Doing and Why How to Read a Fish

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

224pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 52,000

How to Read a Rock

Our Planet’s Hidden Stories

Earth’s life story is written in its rocks. They are time machines, which can transport us over billions of years through the metamorphoses by which our planet was forged.

How to Read a Rock combines a guide to deciphering these sagas of our planet’s past with case studies of the rocks and landscapes that best tell those tales. Using stones as storytellers, it narrates the prehistoric forces of shifting continents; considers how manufactured rocks are transforming Earth’s geology; travels with space probes to distant moons and planets; and asks what our geological past can predict of our future.

Exceptional photographs and infographics illustrate a text from one of the world’s great geological storytellers, revealing layer by layer the secrets written in stone.

About the Author

Jan Zalasiewicz is a field geologist and stratigrapher, with over 100 published academic articles to date on rock-related processes. Over the last couple of decades he has been increasingly involved in writing science journalism pieces for New Scientist, Scientific American, the Education Guardian, as well as writing for radio and television. He has five popular geology books published by Oxford University Press including The Earth After Us and The Planet in a Pebble

How to Read a River

Our Planet’s Hidden Stories

Terrestrial earth is sculpted by the downhill flow of water. The very persistence of a water course carves a route, be it via gushing glacial melt waters that scythe through crumbling strata, tumbling waterfalls tipping over hard rock onto softer stone, or by smoothing broad meanders edged with lush valleys and green meadows. As water combines with gravity, it also gathers and transports sediment. Banks build up and nutrients are deposited into esturine landscapes. Silt floods incrementally into the ocean, creating deltas that cause bulging coastlines.

How to Read a River is a hardworking handbook, full of graphic explanations and annotated imagery to explain the dynamics and function of how water flows across the land and to what effect. Punctuated with gorgeous, evocative photography, including drone shots, plus pithy descriptions, this is a one-stop option for a clear and comprehensive review of rivers today.

About the Author

Ellen E. Wohl (born 1962) is an American fluvial geomorphologist. She is professor of geology with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. Wohl has contributed many scholarly articles to academic journals, including Geomorphology, Journal of Geology, Ecological Applications, and Geological Society of America Bulletin. She has served as Associate Editor for Journal of Hydrology, Geological Society of America Bulletin, and Water Research. In 2009, she received the Kirk Bryan Award for research excellence.

specifications

280 x 215 mm (81/2 x 11 in)

224pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 50,000

The Dinosaur Behavior Guide

A fascinating and beautifully illustrated guide to these unique animals from a world-renowned paleontologist, Dinosaur Behavior explores the evolution, behavior, physiology, and extinction of dinosaurs. By forensically using the latest technology alongside the study of fossils, experts have revealed further insights into the lives of dinosaurs. Discover more about the mysterious world of these extraordinary creatures.

With stunning, specially commissioned illustrations, this book explains how the dinosaurs lived and courted, fought and fed, signaled and interacted with each other.

POSTURE AND GAIT

Dinosaurs stood high on their limbs like modern birds and mammals, not sprawling like living reptiles. Dinosaurs could make long strides and keep moving for long time spans. T he ancestors of dinosaurs, and of all reptiles, were sprawlers, meaning that these creatures held their arms and legs partly sideways. We can see this when we look at a modern lizard; when it runs, it bends its body from side to side, and the arms and legs twirl in a crazy way out to the sides. The upper bones of the arm (humerus) and leg (femur) are more or less horizontal and swing back and forward, and the lower parts of the limbs including hand and foot, have to turn sharply as the animal makes a stride.

In mammals and birds, on the other hand, the arms and legs are directly beneath

Sprawlers cannot breathe and walk at the same time; instead the air is pushed from side to side as the lizard walks.

the body, and the limb movement is simple. The knee ankle, elbow and wrist joints are more or less simple hinges, whereas in sprawlers, those joints have to allow more complex swings. Being a sprawler when you are small is not such a bad way to live: a lizard can run fast for a few seconds and shoot under a rock if it is threatened. But this is not such a great adaptation in a larger animal.

PARASAGITTAL POSTURE

The upright, or erect, posture of dinosaurs, birds, and mammals is properly called the parasagittal posture. This means the limbs

By comparing the “ostrich dinosaur”

About the Author

Michael Benton OBE, FRSE is Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology at the University of Bristol, UK. He was founder of the Bristol MSc in paleobiology, which has welcomed 400 students since its foundation. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2014 for his fundamental contributions to understanding the history of life, especially mass extinctions and origins of major groups.

MODELING LOCOMOTION

In a well-preserved dinosaur skeleton, the limb bones can tell us a great deal about their locomotion. First, the paleontologist fits the bone joints to test the directions and limits of movement. For example, the knee joint, as in humans, has a particular shape so the bones can move only back and forward, and not sideways or allow the knee to bend back. Then the muscles can be reconstructed because vertebrates all share much the same leg muscles. So, comparing the dinosaur bones to its

modern closest relatives—birds and crocodiles—the paleontologist knows which muscles were there and what they did. Some muscles pull the leg back (the power stroke in walking), others pull it forward, or turn the foot from left to right. Often there are clear markings on the fossil bone to show where the muscles attached. These markings indicate the size of the muscle and so its power—wide muscles that attach over a broad area on the bone provide greater forces than skinny muscles.

Muscles only pull by shortening of their multiple fibers (they cannot push), so the direction and width of a muscle allows the analyst to work out its approximate effects. Until a few years ago, that was as far as the paleontologist could go. But now there are dynamic mechanical models that can operate even in a regular desktop computer. In a recent study, researchers from the Royal Veterinary College, London, UK, explored locomotion in the early flesheating dinosaur Coelophysis Using a

are directly beneath the body and move parallel to the midline of the animal (its sagittal line).

There are two main advantages. First, the animal can make a longer stride because the whole limb is used, not just the lower part. Second, the animal can run and breathe at the same time and so has much greater endurance.

A sprawler can only run or breathe, but not both; when it moves, the body swings in a major way from side to side, and this forces air from lung to lung, and disturbs the breathing. After a few dozen steps, the sprawler has to stop to puff a bit,

A parasigital animal can breathe and run or walk at the same time. Air pumped in and out of the lungs during the dog’s strides.

whereas a healthy human, or horse, or bird, can run continuously, breathing all the time.

Dinosaurs were parasagittal from the start, and this was probably a major reason for their success. As we saw earlier (page XXX), there was a huge revolution in tetrapod postures in the Triassic period, when nearly all medium-sized beasts switched from sprawling to parasagittal locomotion: this marked a speeding up of life on land.

3D model of a complete skeleton, they experimented with 5,000 random limb postures to tune the models to their most likely solutions.

Then, with the hindlegs pacing along, they worked out what the tail was doing. As a biped moves, the body has to swing from side to side as the whole weight of the body is over the left leg, then the right, then the left, and so on. In a long-tailed animal, the tail switches from side to side to help keep balance. But researchers discovered that the tail

swings also helped Coelophysis run forward more efficiently. This was compared to the way humans swing their arms as they walk or run; similarly, a dancer or ice-skater may swing their arms to provide additional angular momentum to perform a pirouette or twirl. As Coelophysis switched its tail to the left as the right foot went down in a stride, that swing helped it to move forward in a more stable and energy-efficient manner. Does this kind of analysis work? There are two reasons it can: first, the

researchers used the modern tinamou, a running bird, as a compar ative model and their calculations produced results that closely matched what it does in life. Also, they use standard engineering soft ware that is also used in designing machines, robots, and limb replace ments, and is well-known to produce precise results for those systems.

specifications

228 x 165mm (9 x 61/2 in)

224pp four color throughout 150 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 50,000

Sea Mammals

The Past and Present Lives of Our Oceans’ Cornerstone Species

From the gregarious sea otter and playful dolphin to the sociable narwhal and iconic polar bear, marine mammals are a large, diverse, and increasingly precious group.

For the first time these remarkable animals from past and present are gathered together, offering a detailed account of their evolutionary path, anatomy, cognition, life habits, and conservation. These key species complete many food chains and have the widest influence of all marine life.

Sea Mammals offers real insight into a broad variety of marine worlds. Individual species profiles, themed chapters, photographs, and illustrations combine to accurately portray both living species and their ancient predecessors. Internationally respected paleoartist Robert Nicholls contributes bespoke paleoillustrations, which bring long extinct sea mammals to life.

About the Author

Annalisa Berta is Professor Emerita in the department of Biology at San Diego State University where she has worked for more than thirty years. Specializing in the anatomy and evolutionary biology of marine mammals, especially baleen whales, Berta formally described the early pinniped Enerliactos. She served as president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology from 2004–2006 and was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2015.

Ecological

Connecting the Circles and Cycles of the Natural World

Barry Commoner’s groundbreaking 1971 book The Closing Circle sets out four ecological laws: everything is connected; everything must go somewhere; nature knows best; and there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Ecological takes these rules for sustainability as its departure point, and sets out on a series of cyclical journeys to explore the hidden connections of the natural world. The narrative progresses through circular diagrams populated with exquisite natural history illustrations, like ripples radiating out from Commoner’s original idea, joining the dots to show how each cycle is an essential link in the ecology of our planetary home.

The story leads, like all good circles, back to its source— Commoner’s central belief that everything is connected—closing the circle on the essential truth that every ecological and ecomonical cog must obey the laws of nature’s magnificently complex wheel.

The Oldest Trees and the Stories They’d Tell Nature’s Witness

life of experience brings a real sense of proportion to the events witnessed in that lifetime. The lifespan of an old and venerable tree can reach into the thousands of years, and the sum of the changes as silently observed by such a tree offers an arc of wisdom.

beautiful art photography and lyrical prose, Nature’s

tells the tale of changes surrounding the world’s ancient and dignified trees that have lived through countless epochs.

the Bronx Post Oak, which was likely stepped over by British Soldiers occupying Manhattan island during the Revolutionary War before New York then rose around it; to the Bhutan Weeping Cyprus on which a raven landed, echoing a Tibetan Lama’s dream and triggering the spread of the Dharma to unite Bhutan, this book is a series of long views as if from the tree’s perspective. Each view encompasses both human and environmental change to retell history in a natural world context. The result is a grounding, inspirational read that offers narratives of transformation anchored to a living, resilient life force.

About the Authors

Pederson is Senior Ecologist at Harvard Forest. A dendrochronologist, Pederson uses tree rings to explore long-term forest development across the eastern US, including New England. Pederson focuses on the dynamics of forests, from tree to subcontinental scales, as they interact with climate and amongst themselves, his work encompases the natural history, charismatic megaflora, old-growth forests and traits of trees.

specifications 246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 9¾ in) 192pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 35,000

Ferns

A 350-Million-Year Story of Adaptation, Migration & Survival

Ferns are the most remarkable of plants, and their science is both complex and beautiful. They have a unique way of reproducing; they represent 80 percent of living species; and they reveal much about Earth’s evolution.

Ferns tells a remarkable science story by tracing their origins to over 350 million years ago. It explores how ferns migrated on to land; how they sought light and interacted within ecosystems; how they survived mass extinctions; and what their ability to adapt can tell us about our warming planet.

Written by scientists with a passion for communicating research that is attracting media and social media attention, and illustrated with jewel-like details by an award-winning botanical artist, Ferns has much to say about our world’s botanical past, present, and future.

About the Authors and illustrator

Fay-Wei Li grew up in Taiwan, and studied for his PhD at Duke University, where he and his advisor, Kathleen Pryer, named a new fern genus Gaga after Lady Gaga. Jacob S. Suissa completed his PhD in Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. As a classically trained botanist and evolutionary biologist, Jacob asks how plants build their bodies, how they function, and how they have evolved across geologic time, with a focus on ferns.

Laura Silburn is a botanical artist who has been contributing to the Eden Project Florilegium Society archive since 2010.

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

192pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 35,000

Measuring the Unmeasurable The Geometry of Clouds

Exploring the World Beneath Subterranean

The wonder of clouds makes children of us all. Their mystery has captivated artists and scientists in equal measure, and appreciation societies are devoted to them.

The Geometry of Clouds invents the science of nephology, applying the laws of geometry in an attempt to quantify and measure such wonderfully unmeasurable shapes. It explores the science of clouds, their classification into species, and a geometric approach to defining their forms. It then captures, curates, classifies, and measures every species—arranged in their four familes (low, medium, high, special)—by considering the height, size, shape, arrangement, and movement of their many magical forms.

Featuring commissioned illustrations, masterpieces from the past, and math-minded essays, this is an essential addition to every cloud-spotter’s book collection.

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

224pp four color throughout 120 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

Subterranean draws on our imagination and epic quests with the rocks, resources, and engineering that lie beneath our feet.

Featuring specially commissioned artwork plates, the book travels to the depths of the Earth to reveal hidden rocks, gems, and precious minerals and the human effort to mine, shape, or tunnel through them.

Leading with a narrative flow, the book is full of fascinating insights on subjects from tunnel construction and diamond mining, to earthquakes and shifting sands.

Subterranean is a beautifully crafted presentation with high production values that firmly position the book as the ideal buy for underground-lovers everywhere.

About THE AUTHOR

From childhood fossil collecting to science writing, Martin Redfern has always had a passion for our planet and its inner workings. Martin holds a geology degree from University College London and spent more than thirty years as an awardwinning senior producer in the BBC Radio Science Unit. He is the author of several books about Earth Systems science and is a contributor to many other books and magazines. He now lives in the Silurian hills of Radnorshire, UK.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

illustrations approx

word count: 45,000

The Lives of Butterflies

A Natural History of Our Planet’s Butterfly Life

Amazing and beautiful, butterflies are not just pretty insects, but have a fascinating life history and play an important role in our planet’s ecosystem, as this book reveals.

As well as showcasing their extraordinary range of colors and patterns, The Lives of Butterflies explores such topics as life cycles, behavior, habitat and migration, methods of communication, ecology, and the links between humans and butterflies.

With stunning photographs and illustrations as well as profiles of selected species, this comprehensive look at the life and natural history of the butterfly will appeal to nature lovers everywhere.

About THE AUTHOR

Dr. David G. James is associate professor of entomology at Washington State University, and developed a passion for the subject at the age of eight, rearing caterpillars in his bedroom. He studied zoology at the University of Salford, UK and then migrated to Australia and completed a PhD on the winter biology of Monarch butterflies. David has published almost 180 peer-reviewed scientific papers on a wide range of entomological subjects, focusing on insect biology and management.

a few days.

This rich cellulosic substrate—poop—is already mechanically broken down, moistened, and the perfect temperature. Fresh dung is quickly colonized by fungi, and just as quickly the nutrition is used up.To be the rst to colonize, this tiny fungus has evolved a fascinating trick. Pilobolus makes sure its spores are already inside the dung when it leaves the animal—they are consumed by grazing animals.This fascinating fungus launches its spores in melanized packets called sporangia, and makes sure to squirt them well outside the “zone of repugnance”—the lush ungrazed grass in the near vicinity of dung.The question remains: how do they do it?

DRAWN TO THE LIGHT

Pilobolus is phototropic and produces tiny stalked fruitbodies (sporangiophores) that support a single apical sporangium spore packet that grow towards light. How they do this is ingenious.

The end of the sporangiophore is a bulbous vesicle that lls with liquid, causing it to swell in size.This squirt gun acts as a lens; light shines through the outer wall and is focused on the interior wall, opposite. A photoreceptor transmits a stimulus down the stalk below the vesicle, which reacts by growing more quickly on the side opposite the light source.The result is the

sporangiophore bends to take aim in the direction of the light and … the vesicle bursts, hurling the black

towards the light.The tiny Hat Thrower, only an inch tall, can launch sporangium feet horizontally.

Pilobolus is easy to culture on Petri plates of rabbit dung. When they are nearly mature, remove the top plate and cover

Cyttaria are obligate biotrophs of trees in the genus Nothofagus, known as “Southern Beech” (the trees are relatives to witch hazels). Cyttaria species are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere, inhabiting southern South America (Argentina and Chile) and southeastern Australasia (southeastern Australia including Tasmania, and New Zealand). The relationship of this fungus with its host remains unclear; if truly parasitic, it’s only weakly so—maybe it’s beneficial in some way. And it’s hardly the only strange aspect of this fungus.

It was Charles Darwin who rst brought this peculiar fungus to the mycological world’s attention. In 1839 he collected fruitbodies from large cankers on Nothofagus trees during stop at the southern tip of South America (Tierra del Fuego), during his voyage on the Beagle. Darwin sent his collections to the esteemed mycologist Reverend Miles Berkeley who described the new genus Cyttaria in 1842. Field notes about the ascocarp fruitbodies noted that the indigenous people there collected them as food and even made wine from them. They may resemble alien life

those

The Lives of Fungi

A Natural History of Our Planet’s Decomposers

mushroom poking up through leaf litter is a find, and a truffle

is a sensational hit of umami. Alexander Fleming cured infection with mold and spiritual guides have long used psychedelic

to enhance understanding. Recently we read of the mycelium strands that network the natural world, decomposing organic matter, and carrying messages for other life forms.

fungi to be important, both to us and our environment, but how fungi lives, and what it can do, is mysterious and surprising. The Lives of Fungi uses thoughtful graphics, engaging and accessible text, and beautiful photos to lay out the facts. A primer in mycological science, this title is an attractive companion to anyone interested in what makes fungi tick.

About the Author

Bunyard

PhD, is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of the mycology

Fungi. Britt has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, PBS’s NOVA and Wisconsin Foodie television programs; and has been interviewed or quoted in Discover magazine, The Atlantic, Vogue, Forbes, Saveur, Hobby Farm, Women’s World, and other magazines and newspapers. He serves as Executive Director of the Telluride Mushroom Festival. He has coauthored Amanitas of North America,

Beginner’s Guide to Mushrooms, and Mushrooms and Macrofungi of Ohio and Midwestern States

sort

separating the

Since it

what

The Lives of Beetles

A Natural History of Our Planet’s Beetle Life

Viruses: A Natural History

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

The sheer variety of beetle life is astounding. With over 400,000 known species, beetles alone make up more than a quarter of the world’s animals. Evolved to fit complex ecologies, beetles are ingenious participants in food webs and symbiotic relationships, their appearance the result of evolution’s painstaking response to habitat and other life.

This lavishly illustrated book, packed with the latest scientific findings, explains the rich world of beetle behavior, as told by preeminent beetle expert Arthur Evans. He explains their odd-looking anatomies; their unexpected life cycles; and how they feed, reproduce, and parent. Species profiles support each chapter, with stunning imagery of beetle life in situ.

About THE AUTHOR

Entomologist Arthur V. Evans, D.Sc., is an author, photographer, lecturer, and radio broadcaster. He teaches at Randolph-Macon College and the University of Richmond, and is also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution, Virginia Natural History Museum, and California State Collection of Arthropods. He has published forty scientific papers on the systematics and biology of beetles, as well as over 100 popular articles and books on insects and spiders.

specifications 246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in) 288pp four color throughout 150 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 45,000

As parasites that are often hundreds of times smaller than a bacteria, viruses exist in and on everything, everywhere. Some viruses are agents of disease, but others can be beneficial, helping to protect their hosts from other microbes, or allowing the hosts to function in ways impossible otherwise. Rapidly evolving, viruses are rightly known to be highly opportunistic and relentlessly efficient.

To understand viruses, knowledge of their diversity, behaviors, and life cycles is key. Virus/host relationships are varied, and the effects of viral intereactions drive entire ecosystems.

Viruses examines these themes and more, using lively text, clear graphics, and beautiful imagery. Each chapter is completed by a series of virus profiles to reflect that section’s focus.

About THE AUTHOR

Marilyn Roossinck is an Emeritus Professor of Virus Ecology at Penn State University. She received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and spent nearly thirty-five years in academic settings teaching and studying the ecology and evolution of plant and fungal viruses. Marilyn has authored more than 100 research articles and a similar number of scientific review articles, and is the author of Virus: An Illustrated Guide to 101 Incredible Microbes

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

The Lives of Seaweed

A Natural History of Our Planet’s Seaweed and Other Algae

As the most photosynthetic organisms on earth, seaweeds and algae provide seventy percent of the world’s oxygen. They also form the base of most marine food webs and are found in almost all moist environments on the planet.

With graphics, photos, and accessible text outlining the evolution, morphology, life histories, contexts, and uses of seaweed and algae, this book grants a rare insight into this fascinating algal world.

About the Author

Dr. Julie Phillips is an environmental consultant expert in aquatic ecosystem health, algal blooms, and seaweed communities. An eminent and experienced phycologist, Dr. Phillips’ research is internationally recognized. She has investigated a diverse range of algal projects on reproduction, life histories (in laboratory culture and wild populations), ultrastructure of motile cells, chemical composition of pheromones (sex attractants), taxonomy (describing taxa new to science), biogeography, invasive species, ecology, biodiversity, and conservation.

The Lives of Bees

A Natural History of Our Planet’s Bee Life

A beautifully illustrated guide to the diverse and fascinating world of bees from leading experts in the field, The Lives of Bees explores their physiology, behavior, ecology, and evolution, as well as conservation efforts and the impact of human activity on global bee populations.

With stunning photographs and illustrations, together with profiles of selected species, this comprehensive look at the life and natural history of bees will appeal to nature lovers everywhere.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

The Lives of Lichens

Successful Miniature Ecosystems

Existing at the intricate margins of life, the 20,000-plus lichen species are generally the result of symbiotic relationships between two entire kingdoms– the algae and the fungi. The fungi offer a moist, sheltered habitat in return for food from the algae and lichens are the evidence of this union.

The Lives of Lichens explores the fascinating details of this peculiar organism. Stunning macro-photography and graphics support profiled species and an in-depth exploration of lichen life.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

About the Authors

Dr. Christina M. Grozinger is the Publius Vergilius Maro Professor of Entomology and the Director for the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State.

Dr. Harland Patch is an assistant research professor in the Department of Entomology and director of pollinator programming at the Pollinator and Bird Garden at Penn State.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

About the Authors

Dr. Robert Lücking is Curator at the Botanic Garden of the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, in charge of nearly one million collections of lichens, fungi, and bryophytes.

Prof Dr. Toby Spribille is Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Alberta, Canada.

The Lives of Snakes

A Natural History of the World’s Snakes

Descended from prehistoric lizards, snakes have been slithering across the Earth for 100,000 years. They have a remarkably different view of the world, seeing in just two colors, smelling the air with their tongues, and relying on signs of movement for orientation.

The Lives of Snakes offers a unique view of this fascinating species, exploring their life cycles, diets, defences ,and locomotive strategies, as well as examining how snakes coexist with humanity.

About the Author

Mark O’Shea MBE has conducted herpetological fieldwork in over thirty countries and is the host of O’Shea’s Big Adventure for Animal Planet, which has aired worldwide since 2003. In 2002 he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Wolverhampton, UK, where he was appointed Professor of Herpetology in 2018. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorer’s Club of New York.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

The Lives of Sharks

A Natural History of Shark Life

Ancient and diverse, sharks are the apex predators of the marine world. As notorious hunters, tales of their killer instincts and fiercesomely sharp senses can obscure their full life histories. In fact, sharks are characterful and intelligent, and lead secretive lives full of interest in every type of marine habitat.

The Lives of Sharks is a fascinating and beautifully illustrated guide to these iconic marine creatures from two world-renowned experts in this field.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (73/4 x 91/2 in)

288pp four color throughout

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

About the Authors

Dr. Daniel C. Abel is Professor of Marine Science at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina. His research focuses on the physiology and ecology of sharks and rays.

Dr. R. Dean Grubbs is Associate Director of Research of the Coastal and Marine Laboratory at Florida State University.

The Lives of Octopuses

A Natural History of Our Planet’s Octopus, Squid and Cuttlefish

Dive deep into the fascinating world of cephalopods —octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and the mysterious nautilus —and discover the diverse range of this unique group of intelligent invertebrates and their role in the marine ecosystem.

Grouped according to their marine habitat, this book features an extraordinary range of these smart and colorful marine creatures, exploring their life cycles, behavior, methods of communication, adaptations, ecology, links to humans, and much more.

About the Author

Danna Staaf is a freelance science communicator with a PhD in marine biology.

Her writing has appeared in Science, KQED, Earther, and io9, and her first book, Squid Empire: The Rise and Fall of the Cephalopods (now reprinted as Monarchs of the Sea: The Extraordinary 500-Million-Year History of Cephalopods), was named one of the best science books of 2017 by NPR. She created the science outreach program Squids4Kids and visits schools at every grade level, as well as venues from museums to libraries to tech companies.

specifications

152 x 95 mm (33/4 x 6 in)

160pp four color throughout

140 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 25,000

The Little Book Series

Form, Function & Folklore

The Little Book of Butterflies is one of the first titles in a stunning new series of beautifully illustrated and expertly written books for the natural history enthusiast. Other editions cover trees, spiders, and beetles.

Structured in a miscellany style, each book is packed with facts, myths, and folklore to provide an accessible and enjoyable reference.

Each spread covers a range of topics from anatomy and diversity, to habitat and conservation, to reproduction and ways of life.

With high production values including tactile covers and foil blocking, this charming series is perfectly positioned as the ideal gift or self-purchase for all admirers of the natural world.

UNIQUE TRAITS

T he taxonomic class Insecta is formed of about 24 distinct groupings or orders of insects. These orders include Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants and sawflies), and Lepidoptera – the butterflies and moths. Scientists have described about 180,000 living species of Lepidoptera worldwide, and 90% of them are moths.

BUTTERFLY OR MOTH?

There are several ways in which butterflies generally differ from moths. Most butterflies are active by day while most moths are nocturnal. Butterflies are usually more colourful than moths, and butterflies typically have club-tipped antennae while those of most moths do not. Also, most moths have a structure called a frenulum, which anchors the forewing to the hindwing on each side during flight. Exceptions exist to all of these rules, but studies of moth and butterfly DNA reveal that all butterflies belong to the same distinct evolutionary lineage within Lepidoptera, while moths, which are much more diverse, make up several separate lineages. Although they are greatly outnumbered by moths, butterflies are more familiar to us as a group, because of their more showy appearance as well as their day-flying habits.

BELOW: Butterflies usually hold their wings fully open or closed above their backs when resting.

BELOW: Most moths rest with the forewings swept back, covering the hindwings.

OPPOSITE. Birdsfoot Trefoil is a widespread European plant of grassland areas, on which Common Blue butterflies and Six-spot Burnet moths will both lay their eggs.

1) Common Blue male (underside) 2)Common Blue male (upperside); 3) Caterpillar of Common Blue butterfly; 4)Six-spot Burnet (upperside); 5) Six-spot Burnet (side view); 6) Caterpillar of Six-spot Burnet.

About the Authors and Illustrator

Dr. David G. James is associate professor of entomology at Washington State University, and developed a passion for the subject at the age of eight, rearing caterpillars in his bedroom. He studied zoology at the University of Salford, UK, and then migrated to Australia and completed a PhD on the winter biology of Monarch butterflies.

Tugce Okay works with watercolors and made it her commitment to bring the unique characteristics and personalities of flora and fauna to paper to let them tell their own tales. She currently lives and works from the calm countryside of Linköping, Sweden.

Distribution

WORLD DIVERSITY

Butterflies might seem frail creatures to us, but between them they occupy virtually every habitat and land mass on the planet, including some very inhospitable places. Almost all butterfly caterpillars eat plants, and many can only eat the foliage of a single plant species. Therefore it makes sense that butterfly species diversity is highest in the tropics, where plant diversity is also highest. Well-vegetated natural temperate habitats are also butterfly-rich. In polar and desert regions, where plants are less varied and grow very slowly, you will find a much more limited range of butterflies. However, every species, whether it lives the life of luxury in rainforest or savannah, or endures -40°C winters on the Siberian tundra, is beautifully adapted to its particular way of life.

MAINLAND EUROPE

Some 450 butterfly species have been recorded in the continent of Europe as a whole (with a third of them occuring nowhere else). This is only about 2.4% of the world’s total, reflecting Europe’s relatively small size, and its position well north of the tropics. However, certain parts of Europe do have rich butterfly populations. In the Alps, for example, the mountain ringlets, (genus Erebia) show great diversity, with numerous species and subspecies isolated in specific different areas.

Alpine meadows and other natural grassland habitats, as well as open, mature deciduous woodland, are very rich butterfly habitats in Europe. Sadly, in western Europe butterfly numbers have crashed dramatically through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, due primarily to habitat loss. Other factors include ecological disruption caused by the scarcity or absence of large predatory mammals such as wolves and lynxes, which have ‘keystone’ roles in supporting the biodiversity that has evolved in these habitats.

EUROPEAN ISLANDS

Island groups such as the Canaries and Balearics are home to their own range of unique butterflies, as well as providing refuges for long-distance migratory species such as the Painted Lady and Monarch.

THE BRITISH ISLES

The British archipelago has fewer butterfly species than the mainland, with about 60 either resident or occurring regularly.

With its high human population density, the British Isles has lost a lot of good butterfly habitat, but conservation bodies are hard at work to protect what remains. Additionally, some species, such as the Large Blue and Chequered Skipper, have been returned to regions where they had become extinct.

BELOW: The last English Chequered Skipper butterflies disappeared in 1977, due to habitat loss. The species survived in Scotland, and a habitat restoration and reintroduction project in England began in 2018.

Lead with Ecosulis Ltd and was until recently a director of Oxford University’s MSc course in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management. He has

With its sense of hope and purpose, rewilding is breathing new life into the conservation movement, blending radical scientific insights with practical innovations to revive essential ecological

reveals the ways in which ecologists are restoring the lost interactions between animals, plants, and natural disturbances that are the essence of thriving ecosystems. It looks into a past in which industrialization and globalization have downgraded our grasslands; at present projects restoring plants and animals to their natural, untamed state; and into the future, with ten predictions for a

With its sense of hope and purpose, rewilding is breathing new life into the conservation movement, blending radical scientific insights with practical innovations to revive essential ecological processes.

Rewilding

restoring the lost interactions between animals, plants, and natural disturbances that are the essence of thriving ecosystems. It looks into a past in which industrialization and globalization have downgraded our grasslands; at present projects restoring plants and animals to their natural, untamed state; and into the future, with ten predictions for a rewilded planet.

This illustrated edition combines beautiful natural history cascades’ of biodiverse ecosystems, to explore a brave new world repopulated with wild horses and cattle, beavers, rhinos, and

The Story of Humanity in Forty Sites

How Homo Sapiens Shaped Our Lives

Formerly presented as a progression toward a sophisticated present, the story of how people have occupied their place in the world is now known to be far more complicated.

The Story of Humanity in Forty Sites takes a storytelling approach to unraveling this complexity by exploring a selection of ancient locations chosen by one of the world’s leading archaeologists. Illustrated essays consider each site’s unique place in prehistory, while also revealing their common needs—not just the necessities of food and shelter, but also an urge toward art and ritual. Drone photography reveals earthworks and artefacts, and gatefold “time-slice” maps depict the global picture of contemporary sites.

While many accounts of ancient societies exist, few offer an accessible guide to the main developments in humanity’s past and, in doing so, The Story of Humanity in Forty Sites breaks exciting new ground.

About the Authors

This illustrated edition combines beautiful natural history images with infographic flow-charts depicting the ‘trophic cascades’ of

to explore a brave new world repopulated with wild horses

cattle, beavers,

: Nature Recovery Lead with Ecosulis Ltd and was until recently a director of Oxford University’s MSc

in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management.

has

and wolves.

Cain

specifications 234 x 156 mm (6 x 91/4 in) 288pp two-color with four-color plates and tipped-in gatefold maps 200 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 55,000

About the Author

Dr. Alison Sheridan is an eminent archaeologist who recently retired from her role as Principal Archaeological Research Curator at National Museums Scotland. She was named Archaeologist of the Year at the 2020 Current Archaeology awards, having the previous year won the Prehistoric Society’s Europa Award and been made a Fellow of the British Academy. Alison was President of the Prehistoric Society between 2010 and 2014, and co-Chair of the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework’s Neolithic panel. Her research spans the Neolithic, Chalcolithic (“Copper Age”), and Bronze Age in Britain and Ireland.

specifications

280 x 215 mm (81/2 x 11 in)

224pp four color throughout plus metallic gold

200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

A is for Abecedarium

An Illuminated Journey Through the Medieval Alphabet

The lavishly illuminated initials of medieval manuscripts reveal extraordinary complexity and diversity in the design and decoration of their letterforms.

A is for Abecedarium takes this as the setting-off point for an illuminating journey through the letters of the Latin alphabet, with illustrations drawn from the finest examples of European manuscript art. En route, it elevates the “A is for Apple” approach to consider the evolution of our language, while exploring the anatomy and iconography of initials painted with gold and populated by dragons, demons, flora, fauna, and biblical scenes.

Written by a leading authority on medieval literature, this is a uniquely engaging study of letters and literature—celebrating both the artists who elevated writing to an expression of the divine, and the language in which they wrote.

About the Author

Jonathan Evans is a professor in the Department of English and the Department of Linguistics, and Director of the Medieval Studies undergraduate program, at the University of Georgia. He has lectured and taught Old English language and literature, Beowulf, medieval literature, and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien since 1984, and has published articles and essays on these topics. He is the author of the published books Ents, Elves, and Eriador: The Environmental Vision of J.R.R. Tolkien (with Matthew Dickerson) and An Introduction to Old English

The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery

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Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and therefore, by descent through Etruscan and Latin systems, has become ours. Big A is a strong, confident, thrusting affair, striking the wide-legged power stance beloved of alpha males everywhere. Just who you want to lead your alphabet.

Rewilding The Illustrated Edition

No one knows why the Phoenicians, who started all this, put their A at the front of their alphabet system (although it does make sense to put the ox in front of the plough). The Greeks, along with everybody else, followed on behind.

The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery

The Greeks did not invent A. They adapted it from the Phoenicians, who themselves finessed it from an early Egyptian hieroglyph that was, literally, an image of the head of an ox. The Hebrew letter A follows the same route, with a detour via Aramaic.

Lead with Ecosulis Ltd and was until recently a director of Oxford University’s MSc course in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management. He has published a number of scientific and popular articles on rewilding policy and action philosophy, and is a regular contributor to television and radio. He is currently a member of Rewilding Europe’s supervisory board.

An Odyssey Through Letters, Language, and Myth Greek for Geeks

Alpha is used in maths, astronomy, biology and the International Phonetic Alphabet. It is synonymous with the first and best in every class and category. Odysseus was an undisputed alpha male: warrior, king, tactician, inventor of the Trojan Horse – a modern, flawed hero. He didn’t want to fight the Trojan War, so pretended he was mad by hitching his plough to an ox and a donkey instead of two oxen, indicating insanity.

With its sense of hope and purpose, rewilding is breathing new life into the conservation movement, blending radical scientific insights with practical innovations to revive essential ecological processes.

Cain Blythe is Managing Director of Ecosulis Ltd and specializes in habitat restoration, particularly through the adoption of natural regeneration techniques, nature recovery, and the use of technology in conservation. He is currently contributing to a number of monitoring trials relating to beaver releases in England and Wales.

It didn’t work.

With its sense of hope and purpose, rewilding is breathing new life into the conservation movement, blending radical scientific insights with practical innovations to revive essential ecological processes.

In the age of Wordle and other online games of wit and wordplay, there is huge popular interest in the origins and meanings of our words and language.

Greek for Geeks presents an etymological odyssey for word nerds that sets off in pursuit of the Greek letters, language, and mythology hidden within our modern vocabulary and our literature, philosophy, astronomy, and geometry. From omicron to polygon, from ecology to tragedy, and in the letterforms of our alphabet, the Greek language is at the center of (and describes) our universe.

SPECIFICATIONS

Rewilding reveals the ways in which ecologists are restoring the lost interactions between animals, plants, and natural disturbances that are the essence of thriving ecosystems. It looks into a past in which industrialization and globalization have downgraded our grasslands; at present projects restoring plants and animals to their natural, untamed state; and into the future, with ten predictions for a rewilded planet.

228 x 165mm (9 x 6.5in)

Rewilding reveals the ways in which ecologists are restoring the lost interactions between animals, plants, and natural disturbances that are the essence of thriving ecosystems. It looks into a past in which industrialization and globalization have downgraded our grasslands; at present projects restoring plants and animals to their natural, untamed state; and into the future, with ten predictions for a rewilded planet.

This illustrated edition combines beautiful natural history images with infographic flow-charts depicting the ‘trophic cascades’ of biodiverse ecosystems, to explore a brave new world repopulated with wild horses and cattle, beavers, rhinos, and wolves.

224pp four color throughout 110 Illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 50,000

This illustrated edition combines beautiful natural history images with infographic flow-charts depicting the ‘trophic cascades’ of biodiverse ecosystems, to explore a brave new world repopulated with wild horses and cattle, beavers, rhinos, and wolves.

specifications

x 170 mm (6¾ x 8¾ in)

two color metallic

Illustrations approx

word count: 45,000

Proceeding through topics linked by word connections, punctuated by episodes from The Odyssey, and adorned with a myriad of illustrations, this is a joyous linguistic journey that shows how discovering your Greek roots can metamorphose your vocabulary... and your wordplay.

About the Author

Viv Croot is the author of Troy: Homer’s Iliad Retold, and many other published titles, and a writer with particular interest in popularizing specialist subjects through a distinctive blend of humor and scholarly research. Her fascination with the literature of classical Greece focuses on The Iliad and The Odyssey, and their influence on the Western literary tradition. Viv has a degree in English Literature and Language, and a lifelong passion for words, wordplay, crosswords, and word games, which is currently finding expression in a Wordle addiction. She lives in Suffolk, England.

specifications

260 x 180 mm (7 x 101/4 in)

208pp four color throughout plus metallic gold

120 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 25,000

Unspoken

Breathing New Life into Endangered Languages

A fundamental transformation in the history of language reclamation is upon us. Around the world, communities are proactively reclaiming ancestral languages and rebuilding their cultures.

Unspoken narrates the journeys of fifteen new revitalization programs launched to support activists fighting to reawaken their languages for the next generation. Telling the human story behind each language, the book defines key words personally selected by activists and uses dazzling commissioned artworks of speakers, the natural world, and the wordforms themselves to highlight their beauty, meaning, and deep significance.

Exploring the ways in which language connects us to our ecology, Unspoken paints a vivid and optimistic picture of the vital part linguistic diversity continues to play in guiding our place upon the planet.

About the Authors and artist

Daniel Bögre Udell is cofounder and executive director of Wikitongues, which supports language documentation and revitalization on a global scale. Kristen Tcherneshoff is programs director at Wikitongues, supporting language diversity around the world.

Naledi Tshegofatso Modupi is a South African multidimensional visual artist known for her semi-abstract portraiture. Her work is heavily inspired by the beauty of blackness and characteristics associated with women.

With its sense of hope and purpose, rewilding is breathing new life into the conservation movement, blending radical scientific insights with practical innovations to revive essential ecological processes.

Rewilding

restoring the lost interactions between animals, plants, and natural disturbances that are the essence of thriving ecosystems. It looks into a past in which industrialization and globalization have downgraded our grasslands; at present projects restoring plants and animals to their natural, untamed state; and into the future, with ten predictions for a rewilded planet.

This illustrated edition combines beautiful natural history images with infographic flow-charts depicting the ‘trophic cascades’ of biodiverse ecosystems, to explore a brave new world repopulated with wild horses and cattle, beavers, rhinos, and wolves.

reveals the ways in which ecologists are restoring the

specifications

305 x 229 mm (9 x 12 in)

80pp four color throughout

Wallchart: 857 x 629 mm (243/4 x 333/4 in)

4 x fold-outs: 895 x 432 mm (17 x 351/4 in)

200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 20,000

Chart the Course of History Through the Ages Timeline of World History

Timeline of World History is a stunning work of visual reference that reveals the hidden origins and dynasties of our global history.

It includes one giant wall chart that shows the timeline and context of key events for each region of the world. In addition, four fold-outs act as chapter openers, revealing intricate regional detail for the history of the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa/Middle East.

Together with an introductory chapter on Early History, Timeline of World History is full of maps, images, and diagrams that capture the very essence of our shared history.

About the Authors

Matt Baker is the founder of UsefulCharts and based in Vancouver, Canada.

He holds a PhD in Education and is a passionate advocate of visual learning. The UsefulCharts YouTube channel has over 55,000 subscribers and more than 12,000 followers on social media.

John Andrews has a long history of his own, editing and contributing to dozens of books on food, travel, health, science, nature, and a host of other subjects. He has written on history, sport, music, and popular culture for various publishers.

Lead with Ecosulis Ltd and was until recently a director of Oxford University’s MSc course in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management. He has

specifications

305 x 229 mm (9 x 12 in)

80pp four color throughout

Wallchart: 857 x 629 mm (243/4 x 333/4 in)

4 x fold-outs: 895 x 432 mm (17 x 351/4 in)

200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Chart the History of the Royal Family Timeline of the British Monarchy

Timeline of the British Monarchy is a stunning work of visual reference that reveals the hidden origins and dynasties of the British Royal Family.

It includes one giant wall chart that shows the timeline and context of key events throughout the histories of British Kings and Queens, including the historic reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

In addition, four fold-outs act as chapter openers, revealing intricate detail for the chronology of the Anglo Saxon period; the Normans and Plantagenets; the Tudors, Stuarts, and Georgians, and from Queen Victoria to King Charles III.

Together with additional sections on the royal palaces, Timeline of the British Monarchy provides a wealth of regal history.

About the Authors

Matt Baker is the founder of UsefulCharts and based in Vancouver, Canada. He holds a PhD in Education and is a passionate advocate of visual learning. The UsefulCharts YouTube channel has over 55,000 subscribers and more than 12,000 followers on social media.

Antony Mason is the author of a wide range of books on history, art, and travel, for both adults and children. They include Kings & Queens of Great Britain: A Very Peculiar History, Ancient Civilizations of the Americas, A History of Western Art: From Prehistory to the Twentieth Century

specifications

305 x 229 mm (9 x 12 in)

80pp four color throughout

Wallchart: 857 x 629 mm (243/4 x 333/4 in)

4 x fold-outs: 895 x 432 mm (17 x 351/4 in)

200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Chart the People and Places of the Bible Timeline of the Bible

Timeline of the Bible is a stunning work of visual reference that reveals the events, origins, people, and places of the Bible.

It includes one giant wall chart that shows the timeline and context of key events throughout Bibical history.

In addition, four fold-outs act as chapter openers, revealing the intricate detail for the chronology of the Beginnings, the Ancient Israelite Kings, the Second Temple Period, and the Birth of Christianity.

Together with additional sections on the translations, canon and geography, Timeline of the Bible reveals the riches of religious history.

About the Author

Matt Baker is the founder of UsefulCharts and based in Vancouver, Canada. He holds a PhD in Education and is a passionate advocate of visual learning, and has a special interest in the history of religion. The UsefulCharts YouTube channel has over 55,000 subscribers and more than 12,000 followers on social media. As well as featuring in the Timeline series, his charts have appeared in BBC Focus Magazine and on NASA’s JPL website.

specifications

220 x 170 mm (63/4 x 83/4 in)

320pp two color with metallic ink

150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 66,000

Rights available upon request

The Etymologicon 10th Anniversary Edition

A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language

The clues hidden in words, and the secret connections they reveal, can lead us on the most compelling of historical treasure hunts, transporting us on a grand tour of the linguistic landscapes of the past that we might return with an entirely new view on the world.

In his bestselling The Etymologicon, renowned wordsmith Mark Forsyth leads us through the labyrinth of our own language, dropping words and names like breadcrumbs that we might pick up en route through a collection of idiosyncratic, irreverent, and irresistible facts.

This 10th anniversary edition is illuminated by lavish typography and metallic ink, with playful collage illustrations and a trail of visual clues to celebrate the wit and wordplay with which this much-loved classic joins the dots in our language.

About the Author

Mark Forsyth is a London-based blogger and author whose books have made him one of the UK’s best-known commentators on words. He was given a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary as a christening present and, whether as a proofreader or copywriter, he has always worked and played with words. Mark started his blog, The Inky Fool, in 2009 and today it receives an average of 4,000 hits per week. It spawned The Etymologicon, a Sunday Times Number One bestseller.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (93/4 x 71/2 in) 224pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 50,000 Rights available upon request

Astroquizzical The Illustrated Edition

Solving the Cosmic Puzzles of our Planets, Stars, and Galaxies

Looking up at the night sky, it is almost impossible to imagine that we can trace our common ancestry with the distant stars and galaxies back over 13.8 billion years.

Astroquizzical explores this connection by traveling back through the generations of the cosmic family tree, from Earth (parent) to the stars (grandparents), galaxies (greatgrandparents), and the first atoms of the Big Bang (great-great grandparents). On the journey, the reader is invited to become “astroquizzical” by asking the questions and investigating the many scientific mysteries of how the universe was formed and how it works.

This updated and illustrated edition combines beautifully curated space images with ten sketchbook “thought experiments” to create a uniquely accessible guide to the science of Earth’s place among the planets, stars, and galaxies.

About the Author

Jillian Scudder is an astrophysicist and Assistant Professor of Physics at Oberlin College, Ohio, where she has worked with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Herschel Space Observatory to understand more distant galaxies. She hosts and writes the popular Astroquizzical blog, in which she tackles some of the mysteries of the universe by answering space-related questions from the public. Jillian gained a BA in Physics with Astronomy Emphasis from Macalester College, St. Paul, and a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Victoria, Canada.

256pp four color throughout 160 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

Everyday Chaos

The Math of Unpredictability, from the Stockmarket to the Weather

Trying to understand a system with multiple interacting components—the weather, the human body, the stock market— means dealing with two factors, chaos and complexity. These fascinating topics are essential to understand the real world—yet very few are aware of them. Everyday Chaos brings chaos and complexity alive for the general reader, with a combination of approachable text and impressive illustrations.

About the Author

Popular science writer Brian Clegg (www.brianclegg.net) is respected for making the hard science subjects not only accessible but tempting as well. Clegg has a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and a Masters in Operational Research (OR)—mathematical problem solving—from Lancaster. He worked in OR and computing at British Airways before leaving to write.

256pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 60,000

Brave Green World

How Science Can Save Our Planet

We are on track for 2˚C warmer in twelve years, but more likely it will now be 4˚C. Reality is biting among the early adopters, and the rest of us are waking up to the urgency.

Brave Green World is an unblinkered look ahead to a realistic and positive vision of the future, where we combine biology and manufacturing to solve our central problems of waste and pollution. This book boldly addresses the large-scale issues of global warming, outlining how the fusion of cutting-edge manufacturing and biology will provide the answers.

About the Authors

Dr. Chris Forman is a biophysicist at Northwestern University, Chicago, conducting research in Molecular Biology, Polymer Chemistry, Applied Mathematics, and Computational Physics.

Dr. Claire Asher is a research fellow in Evolutionary Biology at UCL. She is also a successful science writer for New Scientist, BBCEarth, ScienceNOW, Nature, The Scientist, and Mongabay

Ten Patterns that Explain the Universe

Our universe might appear chaotic, but deep down it’s simply a myriad of rules working independently to create patterns of action, force, and consequence. Ten Patterns That Explain the Universe offers a key selection of repeated behaviors to explore the forces that make up the very fabric of our world. From diagrams to show the deep relationships between space and time to the quantum behaviors that rule how matter and light interact, these patterns stake out an overview of our physical world and how it works at a fundamental level.

specifications

234 x 156 mm (61/4 x 91/4 in)

224pp four color throughout

160 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000

About the Author

Popular-science writer Brian Clegg is respected for making hard science subjects not only accessible but tempting as well. Clegg has a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and a Masters in Operational Research (OR)—mathematical problem solving—from Lancaster. He worked in OR and computing at British Airways before leaving to write full time. He specializes in making the exotic aspects of mathematics and physics approachable for the general public.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (93/4x 71/2 in)

320pp four color throughout 155 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 55,000

Fire, Storm & Flood

The Violence of Climate Change

Fire, Storm & Flood is an unflinching photographic record of the epic effects of a violent climate, from the earliest extinction events to the present, in which we witness climate chaos forced by unnatural global warming. It uses often emotional and moving imagery to drive home the enormity of climatic events, offering a sweeping acknowledgment of our crowded planet’s heartbreaking vulnerability and show-stopping beauty.

About the Author

Dr. James Dyke is Assistant Director of the Global Systems Institute and Program Director of the MSc “Global Sustainability Solutions” at the University of Exeter, UK. He is Visiting Fellow in the School of Geography & Environmental Science at the University of Southampton, UK, where previous to his Exeter appointment, he was an Associate Professor of Sustainability Science.

specifications

260 x 180mm (7 x 101/4 in)

192pp four color throughout 430 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 40,000

Chemistry in Graphics

Visual Learning for Students and Grown Ups

A bright, new, colorful series of “visual learning” books that will cover science, humanities, and technology subjects.

Featuring a huge range of specially-commissioned graphics that work with expertly written text to provide a clear sense and understanding of a subject.

Suitable for teenagers looking to support their studies and revision as well as adults seeking a primer or refresher course of key elements.

specifications

260 x 180mm (7 x 101/4 in)

192pp four color throughout

430 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 40,000

Physics in Graphics

Visual Learning for Students and Grown Ups

A bright, new, colorful series of “visual learning” books that will cover science, humanities, and technology subjects.

Featuring a huge range of specially-commissioned graphics that work with expertly written text to provide a clear sense and understanding of a subject.

Suitable for teenagers looking to support their studies and revision as well as adults seeking a primer or refresher course of key elements.

About the Author

Dr. Ali Sezer is Professor of Chemistry at California University of Pennsylvania, teaching various courses across the chemistry discipline with primary focus on physical chemistry, general chemistry, and undergraduate research. Dr. Sezer is a big supporter of active learning and believes that students learn more and have a better experience in the process if they are involved in their own education.

specifications

260 x 180mm (7 x 101/4 in)

192pp four color throughout

430 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 40,000

About the Author

Kurt Baker holds a degree in Astrophysics from Cardiff University, UK, and a PhD in Astrophysics from Bristol University, UK, during which time he authored several astrophysics papers published in the NASA astrophysics journals. He has taught physics in schools for over fourteen years, primarily delivering advanced level content. During this time he has written a huge range of questions in all areas of physics to stretch and challenge students.

Human Anatomy in Graphics

Visual Learning for Students and Grown Ups

A bright, new, colorful series of “visual learning” books that will cover science, humanities, and technology subjects.

Featuring a huge range of specially-commissioned graphics that work with expertly written text to provide a clear sense and understanding of a subject.

Suitable for teenagers looking to support their studies and revision as well as adults seeking a primer or refresher course of key elements.

About the Author

Ken Ashwell, BMedSc, MBBS, PhD, is Professor of Anatomy in the School of Medical Sciences at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Ken has been teaching anatomy to medical, healthcare, excercise, and science students since 1984, and maintains an active involvement in research on brain development and brain evolution. He has written several books including Pocket Anatomy and Physiology, and acted as consultant editor for The Student’s Anatomy of Excercise Manual

specifications

260 x 180mm (7 x 101/4 in)

192pp four color throughout

430 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 40,000

Biology in Graphics

Visual Learning for Students and Grown Ups

A bright, new, colorful series of “visual learning” books that will cover science, humanities and technology subjects.

Featuring a huge range of specially-commissioned graphics that work with expertly written text to provide a clear sense and understanding of a subject.

Suitable for teenagers looking to support their studies and revision as well as adults seeking a primer or refresher course of key elements.

About the Authors

Dr. Helen Pilcher is a science writer, presenter, and performer based in the UK. She has written for Nature, the Guardian, BBC Science Focus, and the New Scientist. She has a PhD in Cell Biology from the London Institute of Psychiatry and ran the Royal Society’s Science in Society Programme before becoming a full time writer. Her previous books include Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction, Mind Maps: Biology, and The Pocket Book of Backyard Experiments

specifications

210 x 160 mm (61/4 x 81/4 in)

160pp four color throughout 60 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Rights available upon request

The Curious World of Kitchen Science

Discover and Learn with 22 Experiments

The Curious World of Kitchen Science is part of a new series of four books that explore the key principles and practice of everyday science by using analogies, experiments, and research with food and drink in the home kitchen environment.

Each title covers a branch of science and demonstrates its principles though applied science offering a unique, fun, and interactive approach to learning for both teenage and adult readers.

Each title in the series covers three core elements of scientific learning: Discovery, Learning, and Experiments.

• The Physics of Popcorn

• The Maths of Milkshakes

• The Biology of Bananas

• The Chemistry of Cola

About the Author

Dr. Katie Steckles is a mathematician based in Manchester, UK, who delivers talks, workshops, and mathematical events all over the UK, on YouTube, and on TV and radio. She writes mathematical puzzles and articles for books, magazines, event programs, and several blogs. She’s also provided mathematical content and proofreading for several recent popular math books. In 2016 she won the Joshua Phillips Award for Innovation in Science Engagement, and often runs large-scale projects to get people engaged with math all over the world. Katie enjoys solving the Rubik’s cube, and baking things shaped like math.

specifications 215 x 150 mm (6 x 81/2 in) 192pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 44,000 Rights available upon request

The Pocket Book of Nature Experiments

Discover the Laboratory in Your World

A charming little book packed with over eighty experiments for the whole family to discover, learn, and enjoy.

From testing soil to enjoying a “seed safari” the book reveals the hidden science at work in nature.

Designed to appeal to a broad, family audience to help develop young people’s learning, health, and well-being.

About the Author

Dr. Helen Pilcher is a science writer, presenter, and performer based in the UK. She has written for Nature, the Guardian, BBC Science Focus, and the New Scientist. She has a PhD in Cell Biology from the London Institute of Psychiatry and ran the Royal Society’s Science in Society Programme before becoming a full time writer. Her previous books include Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction, Mind Maps: Biology, and The Pocket Book of Backyard Experiments

specifications

246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 93/4 in)

96pp four color throughout

60 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 18,000

Rights available upon request

Bots and Bods

How Robots and Humans Work from the Inside Out

In this unique and beautifully illustrated book, children can learn about the inner workings of robots and compare it with their own human anatomy.

How are human bodies and robots put together and how do we both move? How do we see, hear, and sense the world? How does robot intelligence compare to our own?

Packed with detailed illustrations and fun facts, Bots and Bods encourages kids to discover their inner robot!

About the Author and illustrator

John Andrews is a bod, not a bot. He has edited and written dozens of adult and children’s books on history, sports, music, science, and a host of other subjects. His recent work includes Timeline of World History and The Beautiful Game: an Infographic Book of Soccer

Michelle Tilly’s work has appeared in National Geographic, The Observer, and Hollywood Reporter as well as in several illustrated books for adults and children.

specifications

222 x 222 mm (83/4 x 83/4 in)

160pp four color throughout

600 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 38,000

Rights available upon request

Mind Maps Biology

How to Navigate the World of Science

This new series combines a range of visual “maps” with informative text to help the reader understand and recall key information on a subject.

Each title in the series contains ten maps that explain the relationships between different concepts and further maps examine each of these areas in more detail.

Featuring specially commissioned, hand-drawn maps together with an expert analysis of concepts, the series provides a wealth of visual information across a range of complex subjects.

• Mind Maps Biology

• Mind Maps Physics

About the Author

Dr. Helen Pilcher is a science writer, presenter, and performer based in the UK. She has written for Nature, the Guardian, BBC Science Focus, and the New Scientist. She has a PhD in Cell Biology from the London Institute of Psychiatry and ran the Royal Society’s Science in Society Programme before becoming a full time writer. Her previous books include Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction, Mind Maps: Biology, and The Pocket Book of Backyard Experiments

Birds of Instagram

Extraordinary Images from Around the World

The Story of Life in 10

specifications

230 x 190 mm (71/2 x 9 in)

192pp four color throughout

300 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Rights available upon request

We love birds, but their good looks are fiendish to photograph. Enter the expert avian photographers of Instagram who are uploading astounding captures of beauty and wit, ready for appreciation on your phone screen. From all corners of the globe, this new generation of documentarians has raised the bar with their technically brilliant, characterful portraits, and they are keen to share and promote their work with a new, wider community of bird lovers.

But small screens limit detail, and we miss out on many marvellous tiny features. No longer! This book is packed with a carefully curated selection of Instagram bird photography, shown in large scale and in breathtaking detail, accompanied by anecdotal and technical information, featuring name, location, and, of course, Insta account, for further bird joy.

Species

About the Authors

David Allen Sibley is the well-known American author of guides to birds and trees, including the New York Times bestseller The Sibley Guide to Birds. He has also contributed articles to the Smithsonian, The New York Times, and Bird Watching magazine.

Chris Gatcum is an award-winning photographer, and a highly experienced writer and editor of technical and technique-based photography books and articles. His published titles include The Complete Book of Photography and Creative Digital Photography

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

256pp four color throughout 150 illustrations approx Estimated word count: 55,000 Rights available upon request

The 10½ life forms in this book each explain a key aspect about how marine animals live their lives.

From the deepest, darkest oceanic trenches to coral reefs ablaze with life, the chapters explore the world’s undersea habitats through their iconic living species.

Follow the journey of the sockeye salmon, explore the multilayered world of the bottlenose dolphin, and unpick the strands of the food web founded on Antarctic krill. The ocellaris clownfish illustrates the life cycle of individuals, and the argonaut the life and death of ocean life in its entirety. Finally, the Leach’s storm petrel serves as our link between the other world-within-our-world through its unbreakable link to the land.

About the Author

Marianne Taylor has authored more than thirty books on natural history including The Story of Life in 10½ Species and The Pocket Book of Bird Anatomy. She has recently completed The Gull Next Door and has written a number of guides for the RSPB. Her interest in marine life goes back to her childhood, growing up in an English coastal town, where she spent as much time as possible in the sea, if not beside it. She has since become fascinated by the science that is changing the way we understand the family ties of all life on Earth.

specifications

228 x 165 mm (61/2 x 9 in)

224pp four color throughout 150 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 52,000

Rights available upon request

How to Read a Bird

A Smart Guide to What a Bird is Doing and Why

Birds are intelligent, sociable creatures that often mate for life; many fashion tools and solve complex problems, and all conduct multiple relationships using a variety of ways to communicate.

Unlocking a fascinating world of intricate behaviors found in the bird kingdom, How To Read a Bird decodes movements, sound, and flock interactions within seasons and habitat. In the capable hands of scientist Wenfei Tong, naturalists and bird lovers will discover a wealth of new ways to appreciate birds.

About the Authors

Dr. Wenfei Tong: is Assistant Professor at the University of Anchorage in Alaska. With a PhD from Harvard, Tong developed her interest in the evolution of cooperation and conflict at all levels of biological organization in Doug Emlen’s lab at the University of Montana.

Dr. Ben Sheldon is Professorial Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford University; Luc Hoffmann Professor of Ornithology; and Director of the Edward Grey Institute.

specifications

210 x 140 mm (51/2 x 81/4 in)

224pp four color throughout

100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 50,000

Rights available upon request

The Pocket Book of Bird Anatomy

Shape, Form, and Function in the Natural World

A specially-commissioned range of beautiful and intricate anatomicals with comprehensive annotation and analysis.

Each title reveals the function and inner workings of the natural world enabling the reader to have a greater appreciation of their subject.

Species to be featured will be selected from all around the world to provide a truly international appreciation of how nature works.

About the Author

Marianne Taylor is a writer, illustrator, and photographer. She began work as editorial assistant for Christopher Helm and went on to become editor. In 2005 she moved to Birdwatch magazine where she wrote articles on a range of birdrelated subjects. She became a freelance writer, illustrator, and editor in 2007, and has been a wildlife photographer since 2009. Since then she has written more than twenty books for adults and children on a range of natural history subjects, many illustrated with her own artwork or photographs.

How to Read an Insect

A Smart Guide to What an Insect is Doing and Why

Most insects are too small to be easily noticed—beyond being branded a nuisance—so few are watched with appreciation. This is a great pity, as everything about the insect world is staggering— from the sheer diversity of forms to the mindboggling ways in which they function. This companion guide explores the lives of these miniature creatures, highlighting and explaining a wealth of fascinating and esoteric behaviors. From elegant displays of courtship to brutal acts of predation, insect watching rewards with dramatic action and fascinating biology.

About the Author

Dr. Ross Piper is a zoologist, author, and presenter. As a visiting research fellow at the University of Leeds, UK, a visiting fellow at the University of Essex, UK, and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Piper has published over thirty scientific papers. He is an expert in animal diversity in general, and especially in insects;

on communicating animal diversity, the ecology and conservation biology of beetles, tropical arthropod diversity, and the ecology of solitary wasps.

specifications

210 x 140 mm (51/2 x 81/4 in)

224pp four color throughout

100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 50,000 Rights available upon request

The Pocket Book of Insect Anatomy

Shape, Form, and Function in the Natural World

A specially-commissioned range of beautiful and intricate anatomicals with comprehensive annotation and analysis.

Each title reveals the function and inner workings of the natural world enabling the reader to have a greater appreciation of their subject.

Species to be featured will be selected from all around the world to provide a truly international appreciation of how nature works.

About the Author

Steve Parker is a writer and consultant specializing in natural sciences (especially wildlife, biology, ecology, and conservation) with a First Class Honours BSc in Zoology from Bangor University, North Wales, UK. He worked at London’s Natural History Museum as an Exhibition Scientist curating new displays and was seconded to the Entomology, Palaeontology, Geology sections of the Museum. Steve is a Senior Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and has written more than 300 books for publishers.

specifications

230 x 190 mm (71/2 x 9 in)

192pp four color throughout

300 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 30,000

Rights available upon request

Waspish

The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Eco-warrior

Like the lions of the insect world, wasps are the tiny (and not so tiny) apex predators that top the insect food chain. Essential in turn to those food chains of our own, wasps are vital heroes of our natural and agricultural ecosystems.

There are well over 100,000 species of wasps, and all use myriad, ingenious methods of survival, most are solitary, even venomless. From the microscopic fairyflies to the giant tarantula hawks, they work as bio-controls of agricultural pests, are arch pollinators, and amongst the most complex of insects. Full of enthusiastic, accessible description working alongside illuminating visuals, Waspish uncovers the behaviors of these strange and diverse creatures, highlighting a wide range of fascinating scientific concepts en route.

About the Author

Eric R. Eaton is a nonfiction writer, editor, and consultant who has worked as an entomologist for the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Tucson Botanical Gardens, and with the Smithsonian Institution, University of Massachusetts (Amherst), West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, and the Yard Futures project. Eaton was lead author of the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America and coauthor of Insects Did It First

specifications

246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 93/4 in) 224pp four color throughout 200 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 52,000 Rights available upon request

Botanicum Medicinale

A Modern Herbal of Medicinal Plants

A beautiful work of reference featuring 100 plants and their influence on medicine through the ages, from ancient civilization to the present day.

Authoritative and engaging text includes the very latest research on both traditional and more recently discovered herbal remedies.

Cross-reference features identify a medical condition or ailment and the corresponding plant that may help provide an essential contribution to treatment.

Each entry features botanical artwork of flora, leaves, and seeds that form the basis of pharmaceutical drugs, from Adonis vernalis to Vinca minor

About the Author

Dr. Catherine Whitlock is a science writer with a BSc in Biological Sciences, a PhD in Immunology, and a Diploma in Science Communication. Catherine writes on science, medicine, and nature and is based in Kent, UK. Her previous books include Meet Your Bacteria and Ten Women Who Changed Science and the World

specifications

246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 93/4 in)

224pp four color throughout 500 illustrations

Estimated word count: 34,000

Rights available upon request

The Gardener’s Book of Patterns

A Directory of Inspiration, Presentation, and Repetition

The Gardener’s Book of Patterns is a practical reference to create mood, proportion, and scale in the garden.

This mid-format, chunky book is packed with photos, images and illustrated planting plans featuring “patterns” that can be scaled up or down to fit the area being planted.

Examples include patterns for “natural” designs to more formal approaches that create a stronger sense of order and detail.

About the Author

Jack Wallington studied at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, UK, to gain an RHS Certificate in Horticulture having previously been a Creative Director in the digital marketing industry. He now has a flourishing garden design business based in London and writes regularly for RHS The Garden, Gardens Illustrated, Daily Telegraph, Garden News, The Guardian, and Gardeners’ World Magazine. In 2017 he won the GMG Blog of the Year and has made appearances on the BBC’s Big Dreams, Small Spaces; ITV’s This Morning; BBC News; and Sky News.

specifications

246 x 190 mm (71/2 x 93/4 in)

272pp four color throughout 100 illustrations approx

Estimated word count: 45,000 Rights available upon request

The Contented Vegan

Recipes and Philosophy from a Family Kitchen

The Contented Vegan is your essential guide to transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, combining mouthwatering recipes with practical, inspirational, and reassuring advice on making the switch.

Food writer Peggy Brusseau has been a vegan for over thirty years, and is often asked for advice by people considering changing their diet. In this book she answers all these questions and more, as well as providing over 100 delicious recipes to inspire you in the kitchen, from breakfasts and snacks, through to easy midweek suppers and celebration feasts.

Beautifully photographed throughout, The Contented Vegan provides all the information you need to become a happy, healthy, contented vegan.

About the Author

Peggy Brusseau is a food writer, cook, and committed vegan. She has written or cowritten over twenty books on cookery and nutrition. Originally from Minneapolis, USA, she is now based in London where she lives with her husband and two sons.