9780008753306_

Dr. Dino Martins, an awarding-winning entomologist of Kenya's Turkana Basin, where life was born, unspools the hidden, squirming world of parasites- some of the most misunderstood, and important, creatures with whom we share the Earth (and our bodies).

'Your world will be larger for reading this book' CHLOE DALTON author of Raising Hare

When we think of parasites, we might think of terrifying tiny creatures who suck blood and steal food, and that’s definitely a part of what these mysterious organisms are - but, as Martins shows, it’s only a part. From the tapeworm, which can grow a remarkable 120 feet in length within the gut of a whale, to the tsetse fly, a notorious vector of disease that can pierce the skin even of crocodiles with its vicious, needle-like mouth, to perhaps the most universal symbol of parasitic behavior in our language, the much-mythologized leech, all parasites make a living by exploiting other living things.

In each chapter, Martins takes us through gaping geological time to explain the history of a particular parasite’s evolution and its interactions with humans and animals alike. This is a journey across the world ten times over - from Nairobi to New York, East Africa to the Amazon, Borneo to London public parks - and to the outer reaches of the animal kingdom. Along the way, we meet the brilliant and eccentric experts who join Martins on his adventures and encounter not only parasites but their incredible variety of hosts, from hyraxes and hippos to, of course, the elusive human.

Throughout history, parasites have been used to cure disease, seen as delicious delicacies, and feared among the most dangerous banes of existence. But there is much to learn about these critters yet, and Martins is just the person to take on the task. Immersive, entertaining, driven by a curiosity that’s utterly infectious, Hidden Creatures has the magnetic force of a David Attenborough documentary and never ceases to surprise.

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'Your world will be larger for reading this book' CHLOE DALTON author of Raising Hare

Welcome to the hidden, squirming world of parasites – some of the most misunderstood, and most important, creatures with whom we share the Earth. And our bodies.

There is the tapeworm, which can grow one hundred and twenty feet within the gut of a whale. The tsetse fly, a notorious vector of disease whose needle-like mouth can pierce even crocodile skin. And the most universal symbol of parasitic behaviour: the much-mythologised leech. Long villainised, yet vital to every ecosystem on Earth, these parasitic creatures have driven evolution, shaped civilisations, and altered the course of human history. And we have almost entirely ignored them.

Dr Dino Martins is an award-winning entomologist and biologist from Kenya's Turkana Basin – where life on Earth began – and he has made it his life's mission to demystify these beguiling beings. Hidden Creatures takes us on a journey around the world ten times over – from the wilds of East Africa to the rainforests of the Amazon, from Borneo to the public parks of London. Along the way, we encounter brilliant and eccentric experts and students who join Martins on his adventures to investigate not just parasites but their astonishing cast of hosts: elephants and rhinos, hyraxes and hippos, and, of course, the elusive human.

Immersive, entertaining and driven by an utterly infectious curiosity, Hidden Creatures has the magnetic force of a David Attenborough documentary and introduces a monumental, charismatic new voice in science writing. It will transform your understanding of the natural world.

Hidden Creatures

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