Learn all you need to know about the ecosystems, animals and environments which make up life on Earth in this simple, handy, and informative guide! Endowed with abundant water, extraordinary ecoystems, varied climates and biomes, our planet is teeming with creatures, great and small. What produced this rich diversity? How have so many species formed, evolved and adapted? What effects are humans having on the rest of the animal kingdom and on the natural environment we share? 30-Second Zoology explains the diversificationprocess of evolution, then introduces the main groups of invertebrates and vertebrates. Breathing, seeing, communicating and other key features of animal physiology and behaviour are explored, as are the ecological relationships between Earth's myriad species - the predators, the prey, the parasites, and the positively poisonous - before assessing the anthropogenic effects of pollution, over-harvesting, and a changing climate. Covering everything from the origins of life and the most basic of organisms, all the way through to the more complex creatures that we recognise today, 30-Second Zoology aims to showcase the most fantastic examples of life on our earth, all in 300 words and one stunning illustration per topic. If you like this, you might also be interested in 30-Second Literature, 30-Second Numbers or any of the other title sin the 30 Second series!

The 50 most thought-provoking theories of life, each explained in half a minute. 30-Second Biology tackles the vital science of life, dissecting the 50 most thought-provoking theories of our ecosystem and ourselves. At a time when discoveries in DNA allow us to feel more connected than ever to the natural world, this is the fastest route to an understanding of the tree of life. Whether you're dipping into the gene pool, unlocking cells, or conversing on biodiversity, this is all the knowledge you need to bring life to the dinner-party debate. An internationally bestselling series presents essential concepts in a mere 30 seconds, 300 words, and one image; The 50 most important ideas and innovations in biology dissected and explained clearly without the clutter; The fastest way to learn about cells, reproduction, animals, plants, evolution and ecosystems.

Whether you're looking to save the planet or learn more about your local environment, 30-Second Ecology introduces you to the diversity, behaviours and challenges within our ecosystem. Part of the 30-Second series, this introductory guide to ecology is split into 7 chapters that cover: Evolution & Ecology Behavioural Ecology Population Ecology Communities & Landscapes Biomes & Biodiversity Applied Ecology Ecology in a Changing World Plus profiles of notable ecologists, such as Robert H. Macarthur, Rachel Carson and Wangari Maathai. Each topic is summarised in 300 words with one image, helping you understand the subject at great speed. Written by professors and experts from around the world, this book shows us that humans are truly part of this global ecology, not a separate entity from it and our collective actions have far-reaching ramifications on the environment around us. If you like this, you might also be interested in 30-Second Zoology . . .

This whistlestop guide teaches you everything you need to know about the fascinating science of genetics! Genetics is the study of heredity, and reveals how the characteristics of living organisms are determined by the genes passed down the generations. In humans, it can determine how we think,who we are, and how long we live. The human genome was mapped in 2003, and this enhanced ability to study our genes is transforming medicine, from CRISPR, the gene editing technology that allows us to alter the course of hereditary disease, to using genetics to identify the types of bacteria that populate our bodies. Stripping the subject to its bare necessities,30-Second Genetics charts the most extraordinary discoveries, from the fundamentals of cell biology to the almost unbelievable advances in DNA sequencing and stem cell technology. Each subject, concept or term is explored in a mere 30 seconds, 300 words, and one image, making this the perfect book to understand the field of genetics at lightening speed! Authors (and identical twin brothers) Jonathan and Matthew Weitzman are both expert professors in the field, and they write with clarity, exploring these complicated terms in easy to understand language. From advances in stem cell therapy to animal cloning, genetically modified crops and genetically tailored treatments, the Weitzman brothers demystify this essential science which is shaping our future, today!

30-Second Chemistry presents the 50 most important ideas in the science of matter – its composition, structure, properties and how it changes. As the central science that bridges biology and physics, chemistry explains the diversity of all things tangible at a molecular level. Understand chemistry, and you’ll know why some things oxidize and others explode; why food is good to eat and coal is not. 30-Second Chemistry breaks the subject down into 50 bitesize elements that help us understand the nature of matter, including: • Atoms, molecules and compounds • States of matter • Chemical reactions and energetics • Inorganic chemistry • Organic chemistry • Biochemistry • Nuclear chemistry Chemistry is the heart of cooking, it can keep you safe, and it explains why things work. This book brings the subject out of the lab and boils it down to its essential elements – in just 30 seconds. If you like this, you might also be interested in 30-Second Elements, 30-Second Physics and 30-Second Biology.

This information-packed book is the complete guide to everything you need to know about the world's oceans, with each concept Oceans cover two thirds of the Earth’s surface and are the driving force behind our weather systems, taking warm and cold water around the globe. Understanding solar radiation, currents, and rising sea levels are vital starting points to understanding and dealing with global warming, and this book covers these and many more essential topics in easily accessible chunks. Join expert authors on a tour of the world’s oceans, taking in waves, continental shelves, icebergs, underwater forests, monsoons, and coral reefs along the way. Learn about the different characteristics of the world’s major oceans, the amazing array of marine life that exists at different depths, how tides work, and what pollution is doing to the seas. There’s never been a more important time to get to grips with how the oceans work. The 30 Second series presents concise, informative guides to the most important topics which shape the world around us, presenting terms which are key to understanding the subject in 30 seconds, 300 words, and one image.

Reading the Shape of Nature vividly recounts the turbulent early history of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard and the contrasting careers of its founder Louis Agassiz and his son Alexander. Through the story of this institution and the individuals who formed it, Mary P. Winsor explores the conflicting forces that shaped systematics in the second half of the nineteenth century. Debates over the philosophical foundations of classification, details of taxonomic research, the young institution's financial struggles, and the personalities of the men most deeply involved are all brought to life. In 1859, Louis Agassiz established the Museum of Comparative Zoology to house research on the ideal types that he believed were embodied in all living forms. Agassiz's vision arose from his insistence that the order inherent in the diversity of life reflected divine creation, not organic evolution. But the mortar of the new museum had scarcely dried when Darwin's Origin was published. By Louis Agassiz's death in 1873, even his former students, including his son Alexander, had defected to the evolutionist camp. Alexander, a self-made millionaire, succeeded his father as director and introduced a significantly different agenda for the museum. To trace Louis and Alexander's arguments and the style of science they established at the museum, Winsor uses many fascinating examples that even zoologists may find unfamiliar. The locus of all this activity, the museum building itself, tells its own story through a wonderful series of archival photographs.