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A review by cpaul89
Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth's Most Awesome Creatures by Nick Pyenson
4.0
It's not often that I read science nonfiction. This was pretty dense but also fascinating. I love whales but my knowledge of them was pretty minimal.
This book outlines just what it says in the subtitle -- the past, present, and future of whales.
The section about the past gives a lot of information about the fossils and fossil sites of whales. By identifying and describing different fossils, the evolution of the species of whales is outlined. It is the most intact evolution of a species on record.
I really enjoyed the passages about the Cerro Ballena where many complete whale skeletons were found.
The Present section talked a lot about the 80 known species of whales that exist today, which of them are near extinction, those that have rebounded since the extreme days of whaling trade, current whaling practices, and how newly deceased whales are studied.
I found it fascinating how utilizing 3D printing of the bone structures of both present day whales and fossils allows researchers to safely manipulate specimens without the increased damage risk.
The Future section talks more about endangered whales and the future of ocean life in general. Some speices are more prepared for a sudden shift in their ecology than others. It also talks about how beneficial environmental protections can be -- again using the example of ending the US whaling trade and furthering those protections. There was also some interesting data about the contamination levels of whale blubber, particularly orcas, who live and hunt closer to shore in harbors.
This book definitely expanded my knowledge and stretched reading level capacity for comprehension. I certainly didn't comprehend all of it, but I very much enjoyed it.
This book outlines just what it says in the subtitle -- the past, present, and future of whales.
The section about the past gives a lot of information about the fossils and fossil sites of whales. By identifying and describing different fossils, the evolution of the species of whales is outlined. It is the most intact evolution of a species on record.
I really enjoyed the passages about the Cerro Ballena where many complete whale skeletons were found.
The Present section talked a lot about the 80 known species of whales that exist today, which of them are near extinction, those that have rebounded since the extreme days of whaling trade, current whaling practices, and how newly deceased whales are studied.
I found it fascinating how utilizing 3D printing of the bone structures of both present day whales and fossils allows researchers to safely manipulate specimens without the increased damage risk.
The Future section talks more about endangered whales and the future of ocean life in general. Some speices are more prepared for a sudden shift in their ecology than others. It also talks about how beneficial environmental protections can be -- again using the example of ending the US whaling trade and furthering those protections. There was also some interesting data about the contamination levels of whale blubber, particularly orcas, who live and hunt closer to shore in harbors.
This book definitely expanded my knowledge and stretched reading level capacity for comprehension. I certainly didn't comprehend all of it, but I very much enjoyed it.