An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us

In "An Immense World," Thomas Goetz takes readers on a captivating journey into the sensory realms of the animal kingdom, offering a fascinating exploration of how different creatures perceive and interact with their environments. This book serves as a compelling testament to the intricate and diverse ways in which animals experience the world, revealing hidden dimensions that often elude our human senses.Goetz skillfully navigates through the intricacies of animal perception, weaving together scientific research and vivid storytelling to create an engaging narrative. The book delves into the sensory abilities of various species, shedding light on their unique adaptations and the evolutionary advantages conferred by these abilities. From the echolocation of bats to the magnetic sense of migratory birds, Goetz unveils a world rich with sensory wonders that challenge our understanding of the natural world.One of the book's strengths lies in Goetz's ability to convey complex scientific concepts in an accessible manner, making it suitable for both casual readers and those with a more profound interest in biology and animal behavior. The author's enthusiasm for the subject matter is contagious, and readers will find themselves marveling at the ingenuity of nature as they learn about the incredible ways in which animals navigate and perceive their surroundings."An Immense World" not only educates readers about the intricacies of animal senses but also prompts reflection on our own perceptions of reality. Goetz encourages us to appreciate the vast spectrum of sensory experiences that exist beyond the human realm, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all living beings.Overall, Thomas Goetz's "An Immense World" is a compelling and enlightening exploration of the hidden dimensions of the animal world. Through its engaging prose and insightful revelations, the book invites readers to reconsider their perspectives on the natural world, ultimately deepening their appreciation for the rich tapestry of life that surrounds us.

There is so much interesting material about animal senses that Yong need not spend much time on his travels and on the scientists involved. He writes well, emphasizing the basis for the evolution of each sense, physiological, and especially functional. He always points out the unsolved questions. For example, the leading theory of how the earth’s magnetic field is sensed involves a quantum interaction between pairs of molecules, a reaction which requires some light and is impacted by the magnetic field. The candidate molecule pair, in at least some animal’s eyes, has been identified, but not the actual sensory organ. Besides evolution, another emphasis is all the sensory input around us that we humans are not equipped to recognize, although there are electronic tools to remedy much of that. I advise the new reader to pay attention to the notes which follow each chapter – many of them are very interesting. Each sense has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, smell works around corners and in the dark, and remains after the cause has moved, but it is slow to reach the sensory organ. Vision can have high resolution, or high sensitivity (requiring little light), but there is a tradeoff between the two. Most animals that can see color can see UV; it is not known why humans cannot, just conjectures. I have previously read that human color vision is in part tuned to aid in distinguishing subtle differences in human facial expression. Incidentally, there are some women with four color cones, not three, which aids them in distinguishing subtle differences in green; this capacity can be tested for, but the subject otherwise does not realize they have a special talent. A sentence I liked: “The human visual world is in front and humans move into it…… But the avian world is around and birds move through it (i.e. they can see more than 180 degrees, even 360 degrees around their head).” While reactions to taste are mostly innate, reactions to smell are learned. Elephants can apparently smell better than dogs. We all know about primary colors, but what this means is that there is no specific light frequency for the color purple, it is developed by our ability to add and subtract the primary color frequencies. While we have many neurons which register different odors, our subjective consciousness of many odors is also based on combining the reactions of multiple “primary” neurons. The amount of brain power required to utilize senses, such as echolocation in a bat or dolphin, is very high. One conjecture about Neanderthals which I have read elsewhere is that more of their brainpower was devoted to vision.

I wish I could give this book 10 stars! This book delves deep into the natural world to show how everything is connected and how humanity is a part of the connectedness. When we lose sight of the connection, we feel lost and how the realization of this connectedness gives us purpose

It's a whole new world. Interesting, mind-blowing facts about phenomena of the natural world. I suggest that you read it in small bites and let yourself be amazed. I marveled not only about the discoveries themselves but also about how they were discovered. What instruments could detect such sound and speed? Too much in one sitting could be overwhelming.

I have enjoyed Ed Yong's occasional essays, and have begun an earlier book with open-eyed pleasure. I gave this one to my widely-read sister, and she's captivated by it. She spoke with great enthusiasm not just about the amazing information but particularly about Ed Yong's style - humorous, conveying rich detail in a thoroughly accessible manner. My sister recommends it!

One of the best non-fiction books I've read recently. Fascinating storytelling about what is being discovered regarding how all animals (including us!) sense the world around them and what this means for our understanding of the natural world.

This book is full of amazing information that filled me with awe for the complexity of life. It made me think about all kinds of things from new perspectives. It’s long but can be read in bursts. That allowed me to stop and think about all the ideas contained and implied in it.

This book will give you a whole new outlook.

O livro mais recente de Ed Yong não vem sendo sucessivamente premiado (como pela Royal Society, em 2023) por acaso. Trata-se de uma obra simplesmente brilhante, exaustivamente documentada, sem jamais ser cansativa, escrita de forma clara, objetiva e cativante. Descortina para o leitor em geral e pesquisadores que atuam em outras áreas (como no meu próprio caso) um mundo até então pouco conhecido, bastante mais diverso e rico do que supomos, com base em nossa própria experiência sensorial. Ter contato, ainda que indireto, com experiências sensoriais tão diferentes e, por vezes, inusitadas, nos dá a sensação de quão refinada é a vida em nosso planeta, ou, talvez, mais profundamente, a sensação de encantamento, tão bem descrita por Einstein e Spinoza face aos mistérios do universo.

This is a fascinating read with a plethora of incredible insights into the differences between individual species of animals and describes in eloquent detail how each interfaces with the world.The language is imminently accessible and although the author delves into the scientific, it is never off-putting nor too laden with polysyllbilic scientific nomenclature so as to be anything but accessible and thoroughly enjoyable.I read quotes of interest to my adult sons & have delighted strangers, acquaintances and friends with situationally appropriate facts.Dr. Huberman was absolutely correct: this is a phenomenally wonderful book.

Me encanto la forma en la forma en la que esta redactado el libro, explican todo de una forma simple y entretenida, me encantaría retener más información del libro que la que puedo recordar ahora, seguramente lo leere de nuevo en algún tiempo para recordar.

It’s a brilliant mix of science and wonder. I loved this book for how it made me rethink the way I see, hear, and experience the world around me. Simple yet profound. Also the book was delivered in good condition , overall it's a great product .

Real life (nature!) always manages to beat fiction. The most amazing tales of the incredible senses of animals and everything which is just around us but we can't perceive. Great prose. Fascinating, mind-blowing, exciting and funny stories, making science easy for all. You'll gain a brand new appreciation (and envy) for all the creatures that share the earth with us. A fantastic book. Couldn't recommend it more. A must read!