When viewed from a quiet beach, the ocean, with its
rolling waves and vast expanse, can seem calm, even
serene. But hidden beneath the sea's waves are a
staggering abundance and variety of active creatures,
engaged in the never-ending struggles of life-to
reproduce, to eat, and to avoid being eaten. With ''Sex,
Drugs, and Sea Slime'', marine scientist Ellen Prager
takes us deep into the sea to introduce an astonishing
cast of fascinating and bizarre creatures that make the
salty depths their home. From the tiny but voracious
arrow worms whose rapacious ways may lead to death by
overeating, to the lobsters that battle rivals or seduce
mates with their urine, to the sea's masters of
disguise, the octopuses, Prager not only brings to life
the ocean's strange creatures but also reveals the ways
they interact as predators, prey, or potential mates.And
while these animals make for some jaw-dropping
stories-witness the sea cucumber, which ejects its own
intestines to confuse predators, or the hagfish that
ties itself into a knot to keep from suffocating in its
own slime-there's far more to Prager's account than her
ever-entertaining anecdotes: again and again, she
illustrates the crucial connections between life in the
ocean and humankind, in everything from our food supply
to our economy, and in drug discovery, biomedical
research, and popular culture. Written with a diver's
love of the ocean, a novelist's skill at storytelling,
and a scientist's deep knowledge, ''Sex, Drugs, and Sea
Slime'' enchants as it educates, enthralling us with the
wealth of life in the sea-and reminding us of the need
to protect it. |
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