The secret language of life : how animals and plants feel and communicate / Brian J. Ford.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ford, Brian J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Animal communication.

Perception in animals.

Plants.

Senses and sensation.

Perception.

Communication.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 320 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First Fromm International edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Fromm International, 2000.

Summary:

Man, the crown of creation, has set himself above and apart from other lifeforms, regarding animals and plants as dumb and insentient. Now a pioneering scientist tells us how wrong we have been. In an engrossing tour of the many species we share our planet with, Brian J. Ford reveals how all living things feel and communicate in ways that, though mysterious to us, are very real. He cites a growing body of research to show that we are surrounded not by brute beasts we can use at will, but by sensitive souls with emotions and responses we must respect.

We are taught -- wrongly -- that dreams are unique to humans. Our animal relatives dream, too, and have, long before we as a species existed. Do animals feel pain? The weight of scientific evidence shows they do. Mammals have languages of their own to transmit inner feelings -- aggression, affection, fear -- to their fellows, from dolphins' aquatic chirping to elephants' subsonic trumpeting. Birds show astounding cognitive ability, conducting elaborate courting rituals and displaying great passion and devotion to lifelong partners. Even protozoa carry out surprisingly complicated tasks such as navigating obstacles. The Secret Language of Life also sheds light on many intriguing wonders of biology, including the purpose of the beautiful shapes of pollen grains, how protozoa hibernate in winter, and the reason trees shed their autumn leaves.

Ford's fascinating and entertaining examination of life's many forms shows that within each species, whether insects, fishes, plants, or even microbes, life exists in glorious and surprising variety, rich in sensation and creating a marvelously complex web of interaction with its surroundings. In an era when animal rights are widely debated and discussed, this timely, thought-provoking book offers a revolution in popular science.

Contents:

1. Human Senses 1

2. The Mammalian Mind 30

3. The Secret Life of Birds 94

4. Insects, Fish and Cold-Blooded Creatures 132

5. Plants Have Senses 185

6. Senses among the Oldest Forms of Life 242

7. A New Understanding for a New Millennium 296.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [305]-307) and index.

ISBN:

0880642548

OCLC:

45072260