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WTF, Evolution?!: A Theory of Unintelligible Design
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We all have our off days. Why should Evolution be any different? Maybe Evolution got carried away with an idea that was just a little too crazy—like having the Regal Horned Lizard defend itself by shooting three-foot streams of blood from its eyes. Or maybe Evolution ran out of steam (Memo to Evolution: The Irrawaddy Dolphin looks like a prototype that should have been left on the drawing board). Or maybe Evolution was feeling cheeky—a fish with hands? Joke’s on you, Red Handfish! Or maybe Evolution simply goofed up: How else to explain the overgrown teeth of the babirusas that curl backward over their face? Oops.
Mara Grunbaum is a very smart, very funny science writer who celebrates the best—or, really, the worst—of Evolution’s blunders. Here are more than 100 outlandish mammals, reptiles, insects, fish, birds, and other creatures whose very existence leaves us shaking our heads and muttering WTF?! Ms. Grunbaum’s especially brilliant stroke is to personify Evolution as a well-meaning but somewhat oblivious experimenter whose conversations with a skeptical narrator are hilarious.
For almost 4 billion years, Evolution has produced a nonstop parade of inflatable noses, bizarre genitalia, and seriously awkward necks. What a comedian!
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggereInformazioni sul libro
WTF, Evolution?!: A Theory of Unintelligible Design
Descrizione
We all have our off days. Why should Evolution be any different? Maybe Evolution got carried away with an idea that was just a little too crazy—like having the Regal Horned Lizard defend itself by shooting three-foot streams of blood from its eyes. Or maybe Evolution ran out of steam (Memo to Evolution: The Irrawaddy Dolphin looks like a prototype that should have been left on the drawing board). Or maybe Evolution was feeling cheeky—a fish with hands? Joke’s on you, Red Handfish! Or maybe Evolution simply goofed up: How else to explain the overgrown teeth of the babirusas that curl backward over their face? Oops.
Mara Grunbaum is a very smart, very funny science writer who celebrates the best—or, really, the worst—of Evolution’s blunders. Here are more than 100 outlandish mammals, reptiles, insects, fish, birds, and other creatures whose very existence leaves us shaking our heads and muttering WTF?! Ms. Grunbaum’s especially brilliant stroke is to personify Evolution as a well-meaning but somewhat oblivious experimenter whose conversations with a skeptical narrator are hilarious.
For almost 4 billion years, Evolution has produced a nonstop parade of inflatable noses, bizarre genitalia, and seriously awkward necks. What a comedian!
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I'd been thinking about getting this for a while, as I'd loved some of Grunbaum's blog posts. I hesitated, though, knowing it was the kind of thing I wanted to share with Jefferson, and I wasn't sure it would be appropriate. So when I was at the bookstore, I made sure to flip through the sex session, and it looked okay. I mean, sure, plenty of talk about penises, maybe a tiny bit of language, but, um, 10-year-olds should know that animals have sex? And sometimes have weird genitalia? Whatever. I bought it.
Sure enough, we read about half of it cuddling on the couch together, giggling, then both caught up on what the other had read with us. We both agreed it was funniest when the narrator was having discussions with evolution, rather than just describing something. And, of course, the entries Jefferson chose to read to my parents when they visited were all from the sex section. Of course.
Often I wanted more actual science information about an animal, but this is a humor book, and I suppose I know how to google.
Lots of fun.
Sure enough, we read about half of it cuddling on the couch together, giggling, then both caught up on what the other had read with us. We both agreed it was funniest when the narrator was having discussions with evolution, rather than just describing something. And, of course, the entries Jefferson chose to read to my parents when they visited were all from the sex section. Of course.
Often I wanted more actual science information about an animal, but this is a humor book, and I suppose I know how to google.
Lots of fun.
This is the funniest book on evolution ever written. Wait, funniest? That's a weird adjective to append to such a topic. Well, yeah, but it would be the funniest even if other books on evolution were funny. It's that funny. Seriously though, it's a welcome break if you find yourself reading a slew of books on the same subject matter, and need to give your brain a bit of respite. Very clever, and very hilarious.
Really entertaining while also showcasing a lot of weird organisms that I hadn't heard of before. It's a little annoying that evolution is anthropomorphized since it reinforces the misconception that evolution is purposeful.
This is a hilarious book and my father, a professor of biology, enjoyed it as well. The photographs are excellent and the author clearly did her research. I was educated as well as entertained.
Utterly and completely hilarious. I loved the "conversations" with Evolution.