Author: Georg Wilhelm Steller
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781295085255
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 234

View

Book Description

Author: Georg Wilhelm Steller
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253047838
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 224

View

Book Description
“Traveling with Steller as he botanizes his way across Siberia is part wilderness adventure, part open air museum visit, and a valuable historical window.” —Erika Monahan, author of The Merchants of Siberia In the winter of 1739, Georg Steller received word from Empress Anna of Russia that he was to embark on a secret expedition to the far reaches of Siberia as a member of the Great Northern Expedition. While searching for economic possibilities and strategic advantages, Steller was to send back descriptions of everything he saw. The Empress’s instructions were detailed, from requests for a preserved whale brain to observing the child-rearing customs of local peoples, and Steller met the task with dedication, bravery, and a good measure of humor. In the name of science, Steller and his comrades confronted horse-swallowing bogs, leaped across ice floes, and survived countless close calls in their exploration of an unforgiving environment. Not stopping at lists of fishes, birds, and mammals, Steller also details the villages and the lives of those living there, from vice-governors to prostitutes. His writings rail against government corruption and the misuse of power while describing with empathy the lives of the poor and forgotten, with special attention toward Native peoples. “Not only showcases Steller the botanist but also reveals him as an admirable human being with a great sense of humor who managed to keep an upbeat attitude in the most trying circumstances.” —Eckehart J. Jäger “What emerges is a remarkable window into life—both human and animal—in 18th century Siberia.” —The Birdbooker Report “Adds fascinating details to the life of Steller and his travels and discoveries just before joining Bering in Kamchatka to set sail.” —Anchorage Daily News

Author: Georg Steller
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1609620100
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 82

View

Book Description
Steller's classic work, published in Latin in 1751 and in German in 1753, contains the only scientific description from life of the Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), as well as the first scientific descriptions of the fur seal or "sea bear" (Callorhinus ursinus), Steller's sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and the sea otter (Enhydra lutris). Steller's sea cow was a sirenian, or manatee, inhabiting the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. It was first discovered by Europeans in 1741 and rendered extinct by 1768. It was a 30-foot long, plant-eating aquatic mammal, weighing up to 12 tons, that lived in large herds on the coasts of Alaska and Kamchatka. Steller made his observations as part of Vitus Bering's second voyage, during which the crew was shipwrecked for 9 months on Bering Island, from November 1741 to August 1742.

Author: Georg Wilhelm Steller
Publisher: Stanford University Press
ISBN: 9780804721813
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 266

View

Book Description
New translation based completely on a surviving copy of Steller's 1743 manuscript that details the exploration of Alaska.

Author: Margo DeMello
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN:
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 249

View

Book Description
This one-volume encyclopedia introduces readers to the world's cryptids-those hidden or secret animals believed to exist at the margins of human society-including Bigfoot, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Mothman. Comprehensive in its scope, this book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to know more about well-known creatures of myth and legend, such as the Chupacabra and the Jersey Devil, and discover lesser-known animals, such as the Bunyip of Australia and the Mamlambo of South Africa. Rather than purport to prove or deny the existence of these creatures, however, this volume classifies them within their respective cultural, historical, and social contexts, allowing readers to appreciate cryptids as cultural artifacts important to societies around the globe. Finally, this book goes beyond the study of the unknown to investigate who believes in cryptids, why they do, and why the study of cryptozoology is as much about understanding cryptids as it is about understanding ourselves.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 1554

View

Book Description

Author: Peter S. Ungar
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 0801899516
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 316

View

Book Description
Winner, 2010 PROSE Award for Excellence in the Biological Sciences. Professional and Scholarly Publishing division of the Association of American Publishers In this unique book, Peter S. Ungar tells the story of mammalian teeth from their origin through their evolution to their current diversity. Mammal Teeth traces the evolutionary history of teeth, beginning with the very first mineralized vertebrate structures half a billion years ago. Ungar describes how the simple conical tooth of early vertebrates became the molars, incisors, and other forms we see in mammals today. Evolutionary adaptations changed pointy teeth into flatter ones, with specialized shapes designed to complement the corresponding jaw. Ungar explains tooth structure and function in the context of nutritional needs. The myriad tooth shapes produced by evolution offer different solutions to the fundamental problem of how to squeeze as many nutrients as possible out of foods. The book also highlights Ungar's own path-breaking studies that show how microwear analysis can help us understand ancient diets. The final part of the book provides an in-depth examination of mammalian teeth today, surveying all orders in the class, family by family. Ungar describes some of the more bizarre teeth, such as tusks, and the mammal diversity that accompanies these morphological wonders. Mammal Teeth captures the evolution of mammals, including humans, through the prism of dental change. Synthesizing decades of research, Ungar reveals the interconnections among mammal diet, dentition, and evolution. His book is a must-read for paleontologists, mammalogists, and anthropologists.

Author: Smithsonian Institution
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Paleobiology
Languages : en
Pages : 628

View

Book Description

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Northwest, Pacific
Languages : en
Pages : 494

View

Book Description

Author: Jeff Corwin
Publisher: Rodale Books
ISBN: 1605294144
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 336

View

Book Description
Popular television host Jeff Corwin takes readers on a gripping journey around the world to meet the animals threatened by extinction It's no secret that our planet is in crisis. Environmental threats such as climate change, pollution, habitat loss, and land degradation threaten the survival of thousands of plant and animal species. In 100 Heartbeats, Jeff Corwin provides an urgent portrait of the wildlife teetering on the brink. From the forests slipping away beneath the stealthy paws of the Florida panther, to the giant panda's plight to climb ever higher in the mountains of China, Corwin takes you on a global tour to witness firsthand the critical state of our natural world. Along the way, he shares inspiring stories of battles being waged and won by the conservationists on the front lines of defense. The race to save the planet's most endangered wildlife is under way. Every heartbeat matters.