Die erstaunlichen Sinne der Tiere

Every species on Earth perceives only certain stimuli from its environment: which ones, how, and why exactly, holds astonishing discoveries. Science journalist Ed Yong takes us on a remarkable journey into the senses of animals. Only by understanding what they see and how they experience the world can we protect what is on the verge of being lost.

We encounter beetles attracted to fire, turtles that can detect the Earth's magnetic fields, and fish that fill rivers with electric messages. We learn that the scales on a crocodile's face are as sensitive to touch as the fingertips of a lovestruck person; that the giant squid can recognize its enemy, the sperm whale, with its soccer ball-sized eyes; why leaves vibrate in sync with the rhythm of the inaudible songs of courting humpback cicadas; and what a complex sense of sight comb jellies possess. We discover what bees see in flowers and what songbirds hear in their melodies.

However, by disrupting the senses of animals through light pollution, noise, and other sensory overloads, humans threaten biodiversity and the richness of nature. Only by knowing what they see and how they experience the world can we protect what is on the verge of being lost.