"In this thought-provoking, handsomely illustrated book, Italian
neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso considers the fundamental differences
between plants and animals and challenges our assumptions about which is
the 'higher' form of life." --The Wall Street Journal
"Fascinating...full of optimism...this quick, accessible read will
appeal to anyone with interest in how plants continue to surprise us."
--Library Journal
Do plants have intelligence? Do they have memory? Are they better
problem solvers than people? The Revolutionary Genius of Plants--a
fascinating, paradigm-shifting work that upends everything you thought
you knew about plants--makes a compelling scientific case that these and
other astonishing ideas are all true.
Plants make up eighty percent of the weight of all living things on
earth, and yet it is easy to forget that these innocuous, beautiful
organisms are responsible for not only the air that lets us survive, but
for many of our modern comforts: our medicine, food supply, even our
fossil fuels.
On the forefront of uncovering the essential truths about plants,
world-renowned scientist Stefano Mancuso reveals the surprisingly
sophisticated ability of plants to innovate, to remember, and to learn,
offering us creative solutions to the most vexing technological and
ecological problems that face us today. Despite not having brains or
central nervous systems, plants perceive their surroundings with an even
greater sensitivity than animals. They efficiently explore and react
promptly to potentially damaging external events thanks to their
cooperative, shared systems; without any central command centers, they
are able to remember prior catastrophic events and to actively adapt to
new ones.
Every page of The Revolutionary Genius of Plants bubbles over with
Stefano Mancuso's infectious love for plants and for the eye-opening
research that makes it more and more clear how remarkable our fellow
inhabitants on this planet really are. In his hands, complicated science
is wonderfully accessible, and he has loaded the book with gorgeous
photographs that make for an unforgettable reading experience. The
Revolutionary Genius of Plants opens the doors to a new understanding
of life on earth.
