Natur

The Apple: A Delicious History tells the engrossing and richly informative story of a fruit with a unique attachment to the human story. The 10,000-year tale of the round and pleasantly crunchy products of the trees of the genus Malus embraces not only culinary, horticultural, social and commercial history but also age-old traditions in mythology, folklore and religion. Best-selling author Sally Coulthard takes the reader on a fascinating and strikingly international journey - from the apple's earliest beginnings in the mountains of Kazakhstan to the explosion of apple-growing in twenty-first-century China. Along the way, we learn how the apple made its way along the Silk Road from Central Asia to Europe and about its role in the grisly rituals of the Druids; and we discover why, despite there currently existing more than 7500 varieties of apple - from the ubiquitous, astringent Granny Smith to the purple-skinned Black Diamond of Tibet - only a handful of cultivars are available in modern supermarkets. Amplified by apple recipes and the stories behind them, from apple fritters to apple crumble and from verjuice to pomade, The Apple: A Delicious History is the perfect gift book for gardeners, nature lovers - or indeed anyone who likes a drop of cider or a slice of apple pie.

Forest scientist Dr Gabriel Hemery returns to take you on an extraordinary journey through the seasonal wonder of trees. Discover the magic of trees and reconnect with nature with this fascinating illustrated month-by-month guide. Uncover tree folklore and traditions, try new recipes and crafts, take note of key dates and curiosities to spot, and reveal the marvels that surround wildlife and nature as the trees evolve through the seasons. The Tree Almanac 2025 is the ultimate companion to inspire you to take a moment to rejoice in nature, and celebrate all the wonderful details of every season.

Bestselling guide to all UNESCO World Heritage sites. Fully updated to include the latest sites added to the World Heritage List. The List is managed by the World Heritage Committee and each site is judged under strict criteria - only the world's most spectacular and extraordinary sites make it on to the List.

A continent by continent journey around Earth's most beautiful, spectacular, and captivating landscapes. Discover which of Earth's wonders should definitely make it onto your bucket list with this unparalleled survey of the world's incredible natural treasures.With a foreword by Chris Packham, Natural Wonders of the World is the most in-depth look at Earth's greatest wonders. Breathtaking landscape photography is combined with 3D terrain models and other explanatory artworks to reveal what lies beneath the surface and show how geographical features are formed. From South America's Amazon River to Asia's Himalayas and Australia's Ninety Mile Beach, this is a truly unrivalled exploration of Earth's most amazing places.To complete the picture, the plants and animals that inhabit these remarkable environments are also included, making Natural Wonders of the World a unique celebration of our world as well as the most accessible-ever guide to Earth's geological processes and features.

The gripping history of Taiwan, from the flood myths of indigenous legend to its Asian Tiger economic miracle ¿ and the present threat of invasion by China.Once dismissed by the Kangxi Emperor as nothing but a `ball of mud¿, Taiwan has a modern GDP larger than that of Sweden, in a land area smaller than Indiana. It is the last surviving enclave of the Republic of China, a lost colony of Japan, and claimed by Beijing as a rogue province ¿ merely the latest chapters in its long history as a refuge for pirates, rebels, settlers, and outcasts.Jonathan Clements examines the unique conditions of Taiwan¿s archaeology and indigenous history, and its days as a Dutch and Spanish trading post. He delves into its periods as an independent kingdom, Chinese province, and short-lived republic, and the transformations wrought by 50 years as part of the Japanese Empire. He examines the traumatic effects of its role as a lifeboat in 1949 for two million refugees from Communism, and the conflicts emerging after the suspension of four decades of martial law, as its people debate issues of self-determination, independence, and home rule.

A coherent picture of regenerative agriculture and all that it entails. From rural to urban and from physical practices on the land to financial and social impacts of the way we produce our food, many different topics are included. He provides ethical as well as practical guidelines to consider and a scientific base from which to make decisions.

An exploration of the explosive illegal trade in succulents and the passion that drives it Cacti and succulents are phenomenally popular worldwide among plant enthusiasts, despite being among the world’s most threatened species. The fervor driving the illegal trade in succulents might also be driving some species to extinction. Delving into the strange world of succulent collecting, The Cactus Hunters takes us to the heart of this conundrum: the mystery of how and why ardent lovers of these plants engage in their illicit trade. This is a world of alluring desires, where collectors and conservationists alike are animated by passions that at times exceed the limits of law.    What inspires the desire for a plant? What kind of satisfaction does it promise? The answer, Jared D. Margulies suspects, might be traced through the roots and workings of the illegal succulent trade—an exploration that traverses the fields of botany and criminology, political ecology and human geography, and psychoanalysis. His globe-spanning inquiry leads Margulies from a spectacular series of succulent heists on a small island off the coast of Mexico to California law enforcement agents infiltrating a smuggling ring in South Korea, from scientists racing to discover new and rare species before poachers find them to a notorious Czech “cacto-explorer” who helped turn a landlocked European country into the epicenter of the illegal succulent trade.    A heady blend of international intrigue, social theory, botanical lore, and ecological study, The Cactus Hunters offers complex insight into species extinction, conservation, and more-than-human care.     Retail e-book files for this title are screen-reader friendly with images accompanied by short alt text and/or extended descriptions.

LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITINGTHE TIMES / WATERSTONES TOP 10 BESTSELLERAN INDEPENDENT BEST BOOK TO READ IN 2023A STYLIST NONFICTION MUST-READ FOR 2023A SUNDAY TIMES GARDENING BOOK TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2023Women have always gardened, but our stories have been buried with our work. Alice Vincent is on a quest to change that. To understand what encourages women to go out, work the soil, plant seeds and nurture them, even when so many other responsibilities sit upon their shoulders. To recover the histories that have been lost among the soil.Why Women Grow is a much-needed exploration of why women turn to the earth, as gardeners, growers and custodians. This book emerged from a deeply rooted desire to share the stories of women who are silenced and overlooked. In doing so, Alice fosters connections with gardeners that unfurl into a tender exploration of women's lives, their gardens and what the ground has offered them, with conversations spanning creation and loss, celebration and grief, power, protest, identity and renaissance.Wise, curious and sensitive, Why Women Grow follows Alice in her search for answers, with inquisitive fronds reaching and curling around the intimate anecdotes of others

Alastair Humphreys goes in search of nature and wildness in his local environment

Andy Secher¿one of the most prolific trilobite collectors in the world¿takes readers on an entertaining and enlightening journey to the distant epoch when these ancient arthropods swarmed through the seas.

The Primacy of Doubt takes us on a unique journey through the science of uncertainty, covering a breathtaking range of topics, from climate change to the foundations of quantum physics, economic modelling to conflict prediction, free will to consciousness.

"Outstanding ... among the most important books about whisky ever written." Charles MacLeanBringing together landscapes, geology, history, people, and their whisky, and addressing the key role of peatlands in mitigating climate change, Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond is a love letter to the unique substance that forms part of the DNA of Scotch whisky.Through epic journeys around Scotland and elsewhere, and back in time, Mike Billett dives deep into the science and stories of ancient peatlands and bogs, capturing the spirit of places where whisky has been distilled for centuries. He sheds light on how peat imparts its distinctive aroma and flavor to the world's finest single malts. He looks back to tradition and heritage, as well as forward to a future in which peat will remain part of the whisky recipe, while at the same time becoming an increasingly precious living sponge for atmospheric carbon. He takes us to places where the bond between peat and whisky is growing around the world.Whether you're a whisky connoisseur, a lover of Scotland's beautiful landscapes, an armchair traveler or a history buff, this unforgettable book will deepen your appreciation for the land itself and help you to understand the profound connection between peat and the unmistakable character of uisge beatha, the water of life.

In a lively and easy-to-navigate, question-and-answer format, Food Politics carefully examines and explains the most important issues on today's global food landscape.

The perfect countryside and armchair companion to the wild flowers of the British Isles. Illustrator Angie Lewin and author Christopher Stocks follow up the success of The Book of Pebbles with The Book of Wildflowers, a celebration of British wild flowers and their place in the landscape. Christopher Stocks reveals the interesting and unusual history and science of wild flowers, including guidance on where they can be found and also tips for cultivation. Designed in a similar format to The Book of Pebbles, it will focus on around 15 of Lewin's favourite wild flowers, and include reproductions of her paintings and illustrations, many of them created specially for the book. Sustaining our long-held affection for the British countryside, The Book of Wildflowers will appeal to anyone who loves British wild flowers, as well as fans of Angie Lewin, who is widely admired for her alluring images of the natural world. It is intended to be followed by a companion volume on cultivated flowers.

A carbon neutral future is possible - we have the technology to transform the global economy and guard against the worst effects of climate change. So how do we get to net zero?In The Way to Net Zero, entrepreneur and climate tech consultant Chris Goodall tackles sixteen challenges that we must overcome in making a just transition to carbon neutrality. He explores the technologies that will solve these challenges - from changing how steel, cement and fuel are made, to locking carbon in healthy soils, and from green hydrogen storage to building climate-resilient homes. With case studies and success stories from entrepreneurs across the globe, Goodall illustrates the incredible potential of a Net Zero future, as well as the determination we will need to overcome these problems.New tech featured includes Sweden's H2 Green Steel, California's Fortera cement substitute, Hong Kong garment-to-garment recycling, Finnish turbine company Coolbrook, Norwegian e-fuels, and Captura's innovative ocean CO2 capture.

Andre de Ruyter's explosive account of his three years as CEO of Eskom, where he dealt with corruption, sabotage, political interference and a poisoning attempt.

Start Small, Think Big is a primary-science picture book series that takes young readers from the small and familiar to new areas of knowledge where they need to think big! Little Brown Nut is about the Brazil nut tree told clearly and carefully to build knowledge about its lifecycle, the Amazon, and the world's rainforests, with a fold-out map.

Should we become parents? This question forces us to reckon with what we love and fear most in ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world. When journalist Gina Rushton considered this decision, the choice was less straightforward than she had assumed. Rushton wrote the book needed to transform the discourse around the parenthood dilemma.