by Riskin, Dan
pregnancy: Toxoplasma parasite and, 92
pride, 203–9
pterosaurs, 190, 195
quisqualic acid, 108–9
rabbits, 173
rape, 37, 51–53, 209
rare mammals: leeches role in conservation of, 83–84
Ratcliffe, John, 78n
rats: Toxoplasma parasite and, 90–91, 93, 96
rattlesnakes, 186–88, 186n, 188n
recluse spiders, 171n
reproduction
by cloning, 60–63, 60n
and diversity of offspring, 62–63
DNA and, 35–67
homosexuality and, 37
and how to mate, 36–37
importance of, 36
longevity and, 35–36, 67
sacrifices made for sake of, 37
survival and, 44
and traumatic insemination, 56–57
See also childbirth; mating; rape; sex
reptiles
flying, 190
See also specific type of reptile
Rhinella toads, 150–51
rhinoceroses, 107, 196, 196n
Riskin, Claire, 130, 130n, 156
Riskin, Dan
and appreciation for friends, 202–3
botfly experience of, 1, 3–8, 5n, 11–12, 13, 203, 207
fatherly love for Sam of, 12–13, 30–31, 33, 67, 96, 129–33, 156, 157, 199, 200–201, 202, 203, 211
future plans for, 211
life-changing experience of, 77
as programmed machine, 32–33
and Sam as Riskin’s way of connecting
with nature, 203
as vegetarian, 122, 125
See also specific topic
Riskin, mother, 176–78
Riskin, Sam
birth of, 12, 44–45, 65–66, 129–34, 130n, 156
development of, 134
DNA of, 33, 65–67, 96, 130n
food for, 127
future plans for, 211
as meat robot, 33
as parasitic fetus, 95, 96
Riskin’s fatherly love for, 12–13, 30–31, 33, 67, 96, 129–33, 156, 157, 199, 200–201, 202, 203, 211
as Riskin’s way of connecting with nature, 203
Riskin, Shelby
future plans of, 211
Giardia parasite and, 65, 65n
parenting and, 134
professional career of, 64–65, 64n
Riskin’s relationship with, 64–65, 67, 179, 211
running ability of, 29n
and Sam as parasitic fetus, 95, 96
Sam’s birth and, 44–45, 65–66, 129–34
at Texas campsite, 176–79
roundworms, 80–81
running
gender differences and, 28–29n
and running speed of humans, 15–16, 16n, 142
sac-winged bats, 75, 146–48, 207
sacrifices, 37, 199–201
sagebrush plants, 110
salamanders, 60, 60n, 154–55
salting behavior, 147, 207
schistosome/schistosomiasis, 85–87, 96
Schmidt, Justin, 181–83, 182n
Schmidt Pain Index, 182–83, 182n
science
importance of supporting, 208
and Riskin’s appreciation for friends, 202–3
scorpions, 174–79, 174n, 175–78, 189
sea slugs
blue dragon/Glaucus, 168–69
emerald, 111–13, 112n, 168, 211
Sea World (Orlando, Florida), 159–62
seabirds: and mice of Gough Island, 23–26, 24n
The Selfish Gene (Dawkins), 32, 32n
selfishness
of ants, 105
DNA and, 17, 196, 210
evolution and, 164
and humans as fundamentally selfish, 64, 211
love and, 13, 200, 203
and nature as biological organism, 8–9
of plants, 98, 114, 115
and short-term focus of humans, 207
See also greed
seven deadly sins, 13
See also specific sin
sex
antechinus and, 38–40
envy and, 146–48
evolution of, 62, 66
humans and, 42–43
longevity and, 42–43
love and, 63–64
plants and, 113–15
popularity of, 62–63
See also mating; reproduction
Shah, Sudhir, 99–100
sharks, 22, 165
sheep, 17–18, 36, 36n, 37, 67, 109, 109n
shipwrecks, 28–31
short-tailed fruit bats, 75–76
“shot in the dark” mating strategy, 54, 54n
shrews, 120, 189
shrikes, 164–65
siblings: as eating siblings, 20–22
single-cell organisms: extinction and, 193
sloth, 69–96. See also parasites
slow lorises, 118, 121–22
snails, 169–70, 169n, 189
snakes, 55–56, 174, 183–89, 188n
sneaker males, 148, 149–55
social justice, 210
songbirds, 31
South American armed spiders, 171n
South Pacific Islands: human impact on, 27–28
spiders
Arachnida class and, 174n
blood-drinking, 72n
cannibalism among, 40, 40n, 41–42
in Kenya, 72n
mating among, 40–42, 40n, 59, 59–60n, 138
mosquitos and, 72n
number of species of, 170–71, 171n
“nuptial gifts” of, 40, 40n, 138
as thieves, 137–41
vegetarian, 139–40
venom of, 170–73, 171n, 189
See also specific species
squids, 54, 54n squirrels, 78
stingrays, 189
stings, 179–83, 182n
stress, 39–40, 39n, 133
sugars, 102–3, 106, 107, 111, 112, 115–16, 194
sun, 99–100, 101–3, 101n, 103–4n, 112, 113
survival
DNA and, 12–13
energy as important to, 100
reproduction and, 44
technology as important to, 208
theft as threat to, 140
water and, 100, 100n
“swimmer’s itch,” 87
technology, 208
testosterone, 67
Texas campsite: bats at, 176–79, 211
theft: envy and, 135–46, 135n
ticks, 174n
Tilikum (whale), 160–61, 162, 163–64
Titanic shipwreck, 29–30
toads, 148, 149, 150–51
tobacco plants, 111
Toxoplasma parasite, 90–93, 94, 96
Trachops bats, 58n
“tragedy of the commons,” 206, 206n
traumatic insemination, 56–57
tube-lipped nectar bats, 114–15
tucandeira ant ritual, 181, 181n
vampire bats, 71–78, 73n, 78n, 94, 199–201, 202, 207
vegetarianism, 122, 125, 139–40
venom
antivenins for, 173, 173n, 189
benefits of, 189
definition of, 166
humans and, 166–74, 183–89
poison compared with, 166
of scorpions, 174–79
of snakes, 174, 183–89
of spiders, 170–73, 171n
wrath and, 166–79, 183–89
Verreaux eagles, 21–22
Vietnam: conservation of rare mammals in, 83–84
volcanoes: extinctions and, 192–93
Vonhof, Maarten, 71, 74–75
wasp emerald cockroach, 87–88
wasps, 111, 182, 189
water
importance of, 100, 100n
Jani story and, 99–100
water buffalo, 31
whales, killer, 159–64, 162n, 164n, 165
wild dog
s, 140–41
wolves/wolverines, 17–18, 119–20, 165
“women and children first” rule, 28–30
World Health Organization, 44n, 46n
wrath
extinction and, 190–97
of nature, 179, 189–90
of predators, 159–66
stings and, 179–83, 182n
venom and, 166–79, 183–89
zebras, 16, 20, 20n
zonal geranium, 108–9
Touchstone
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Copyright © 2014 by Dan Riskin
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Touchstone Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Touchstone hardcover edition March 2014
TOUCHSTONE and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Interior design by Aline C. Pace
Jacket design and illustratiion by Shasti O'Leary Soudant
Jacket photographs © iStockphoto
ISBN 978-1-4767-0754-9
ISBN 978-1-4767-0756-3 (ebook)
