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Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Human Senses
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About This Book
Perfect for fans of The Soul of an Octopus and The Genius of Birds , this " masterpiece of science and nature writing" ( The Washington Post) explores how we process the world around us through the lens of the incredible sensory capabilities of thirteen animals, revealing that we are not limited to merely five senses. There is a scientific revolution stirring in the field of human perception. Research has shown that the extraordinary sensory powers of our animal friends can help us better understand the same powers that lie dormant within us. From the harlequin mantis shrimp with its ability to see a vast range of colors, to the bloodhound and its hundreds of millions of scent receptors; from the orb-weaving spider whose eyes recognize not only space but time, to the cheetah whose ears are responsible for its perfect agility, these astonishing animals hold the key to better understanding how we make sense of the world around us. "An appealingly written, enlightening, and sometimes eerie journey into the extraordinary possibilities for the human senses" ( Kirkus Reviews , starred), Sentient will change the way you look at humanity.
Reviews
"An appealingly written, enlightening, and sometimes eerie journey into the extraordinary possibilities for the human senses."
"After reading Sentience, you'd have to be uncommonly insensible not to appreciate your own sensory powers even if, like most of us, you've been experiencing a Covid-generated, sensorily-deprived life for the last two years ..."
"The material is gripping despite its disturbing aspects ..."
"eminently entertaining ..."
"For all that it's stuffed with entertaining oddities, Sentient is not a book about oddities, and Higgins's argument, though colourful, is rigorous and focused."
"You may finish reading it and wish that humans could use that intelligence to stop the destruction of the habitats all of us live in."
"Each of these fascinating reveals, elucidated with scientific fluency and narrative verve, revolve around the central mystery of 'how neural matter gives rise to sensation and sentience.' Higgins' in-depth tour of the senses recalibrates our sense of ourselves, other species, and the singular miracle of life."
"Higgins is a patient guide, and her writing is accessible throughout."
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