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Feathers : The Evolution of a Natural Miracle

ISBN: 9780465028788 | 0465028780
Edition: Reprint
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Perseus Books Group
Pub. Date: 7/31/2012

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SummaryTable of ContentsAuthor Biography
Feathers are an evolutionary marvel: aerodynamic, insulating, beguiling. They date back more than 100 million years. Yet their story has never been fully told. In Feathers, biologist Thor Hanson details a sweeping natural history, as feathers have been used to fly, protect, attract, and adorn through time and place. Applying the research of paleontologists, ornithologists, biologists, engineers, and even art historians, Hanson asks: What are feathers? How did they evolve? What do they mean to us? Engineers call feathers the most efficient insul... MORE
Author's Notep. ix
Acknowledgmentsp. xi
Prefacep. xiii
Introduction: A Natural Miraclep. 1
Evolution
The Rosetta Stonep. 13
Heat Shields, Gliders, and Insect Scoopsp. 29
The Yixian Formationp. 43
How to Catch a Muttonbirdp. 61
Fluff
Keeping Warmp. 83
... MOREp. 101
Flight
Ground-Up or Tree-Down?p. 117
A Feathered Hammerp. 131
The Perfect Airfoilp. 141
Fancy
The Birds of Paradisep. 157
A Feather in Her Capp. 175
Give Us Those Nice Bright Colorsp. 195
Function
Of Murres and Muddlersp. 213
The Mighty Pennap. 233
The Featherless Headp. 247
Conclusion: A Debt of Wonderp. 263
An Illustrated Guide to Feathersp. 275
Feathers and Conservationp. 281
Notesp. 283
Bibliographyp. 301
Image and Quotation Creditsp. 319
Indexp. 325
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.
Thor Hanson works as a conservation biologist and has studied Central American trees and songbirds, nest predation in Tanzania, and the grisly feeding habits of African vultures. The author of The Impenetrable Forest, Hanson lives with his wife and son on an island in Washington State.


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