The fascinating patterns on the shells of tropical sea snails are not only compellingly beautiful but also tell a tale of biological development. The decorative patterns are records of their own genesis, which follows laws such as those of dune formation or the spread of a flu epidemic. Hans Meinhardt has analyzed the dynamical processes that form these patterns and has retraced them in computer simulations. His book is exciting not only for the astonishing scientific knowledge it reveals but also for its fascinating pictures. An accompanying CD-ROM with the corresponding algorithms allows the reader to simulate the natural pattern formation and growth processes.

Already a bestseller with more than 100,000 copies sold, Adams' comforting words are now accompanied by D. Morgan's exquisite watercolors that summon the very sounds and scents of the ocean. Words of wisdom and peaceful images bring encouragement to those buffeted by life's storms.

Reproduction of the original: Beautiful Shells of New Zealand by E. G. B. Moss

"Beautiful Shells of New Zealand" is an illustrated manual for amateur collectors of sea shells, compiled and written by Edward George Britton Moss. The book gives an exhaustive guide into the types and classification of shells, contains a lot of information about their dwellers, and provides instructions on how to clean the seashells to store them properly for a collection.