An intriguing look at some of world’s oldest organisms and the scientists who study them.
Immortality may still be the stuff of legend for humans, but it’s a real possibility for a jellyfish native to the Mediterranean Sea.
Biologists are studying specimens of flora and fauna that live extraordinarily long lives. The longest living human on record is Jean Louise Calment, a Frenchwoman who lived 122 years and 164 days, but that’s nothing compared to the Greenland shark that may live over 500 years. In an accessible, informative text, Kenney (Healing Plants, 2018, etc.) introduces biologists and geneticists who study examples of extreme longevity in the plant and animal kingdoms, such as the possibly 80,000-year-old root system of a colony of male quaking aspens. One potentially immortal specimen is the hydra, a small freshwater animal described as “a simple tube without internal body organs”; the secret to its longevity is that its body is made of stem cells that repair and replace damaged body parts. Kenney discusses the technologies scientists use to determine age and longevity, including DNA sampling, growth rings, and radiocarbon dating, and how scientists are using their discoveries about aged plants and animals to research drugs to promote longevity in humans. High-quality color photographs and clear diagrams help explain the material. Useful for reports or reading for pleasure, this is an engaging and informative volume.
An intriguing look at some of world’s oldest organisms and the scientists who study them. (timeline, source notes, glossary, bibliography, further information, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5124-8372-7
Page Count: 108
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Unhappy teens in need of a lecture on thinking positively and being more in touch with one’s emotions need look no further.
Mangan presents in as many chapters a 20-point strategy that ranges from “Have a Positive Attitude” and “Cut Your Problems Into Pieces” to “Practice Being Patient” and “Appreciate the Value of Your Hard Work.” She blends private exercises like visualizing forgiveness with comments on selective attention, “problematic procrastination” and other bad habits, reframing situations to put them in different lights, “changing shoes” to understand others better and subjecting feelings to rational analysis. Though the author has a graduate degree and years of practice in clinical psychology, she offers generalities and generic situations rather than specific cases from her experience, and the book is devoid of references to further resources or even an index. Superficial advice (“If you are unsafe or are around kids that you know are bullies, just walk away”) combines with techniques that are unlikely to interest readers (“Make a song verse out of your list of helpful thoughts”). The author also makes questionable claims about the mind-body connection (“When you smile, your body sends a signal to your brain that you are happy”) and fails to make a case for regarding side forays into food habits and environmental concerns as relevant to her topic. Obvious issues and common-sense advice, unpersuasively presented. (Self-help. 12-15)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4338-1040-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
Just in time for Earth Day comes this wide-ranging look at global climate change, which answers common questions and introduces people and organizations from around the world who are doing something about it. The first section defines the problem, explains how we know it’s happening and responds to common arguments. Complex ideas are conveyed in a light, conversational manner, and the narrative is punctuated with interesting, appropriate quotations as well as interviews with a wide variety of scientists. The second section describes specific “Gaia Warriors”—individuals and groups working to change our ways. Davies describes a wide variety of campaigns—many by young people—especially in the areas of transportation, food, homes, clothing, deforestation and the intersection of climate change and human rights. She addresses some controversies, including the use of biofuels and nuclear power and the utility of carbon dioxide offsets. The trendy, magazine-like design of this English import will appeal to younger teen readers, who are encouraged throughout the book to visit specific websites for further information. First published in England in 2009, the information about world negotiations has been updated to include the results of the Copenhagen meeting that spring. One could quibble with the weight given various topics, but overall this is an enjoyable and comprehensive summary marred only by its complete lack of documentation. (afterword, more resources, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4808-4
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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