David Quammen, in Natural Acts (Avon Books, $11, ISBN 0 380 71738 7),
mixes natural history with determined humour. These essays, all originating out
of his preference for asking questions, rather than providing answers, are so
breezy that they sometimes risk being irritating. We never find out, for
example, what the merits of the mosquito are, or if crows are too intelligent.
But anyone who puts in an admiring word for cockroaches can never be boring.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second
2
Babies are born with the neural foundations for maths
3
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
4
A type of fibre that stimulates GLP-1 release approved for use in food
5
The best new science-fiction novels published in July 2026
6
The weirdness of neutrinos could completely rewrite particle physics
7
Slowdown of AMOC ocean current may be gradual and reversible
8
US government wants to have a useful quantum computer by 2028
9
We’re not the most successful human species
10
I’m the first person whose life was saved by CRISPR base editing
