"Brilliant. . . . An absorbing read and a potent lesson in moral behavior—both of rodents and of humans."—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Poison Squad • "A fascinating read about an immensely influential scientist."—Robert M. Sapolsky, author of the New York Times–bestseller Determined • "Stimulating scientific history. . . . Colorful accounts. . . . This fascinates."— Publishers WeeklyA bizarre and compelling biography ...

In a world supposedly governed by ruthless survival of the fittest, why do we see acts of goodness in both animals and humans? This problem plagued Charles Darwin in the 1850s as he developed his theory of evolution through natural selection. Indeed, Darwin worried that the goodness he observed in nature could be the Achilles heel of his theory. Ever since then, scientists and other thinkers have engaged in a fierce debate about the origins of goodness that has dragged politics, philosophy...

This true story of an amazing breeding experiment in Siberia is "part science, part Russian fairy tale, and part spy thriller" ( The New York Times Book Review).Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But despite appearances, these are not dogs—they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken—imagine spee...

**How a devastating outbreak of horse flu in the 1870s ground city life to a halt—but ultimately revolutionized animal rights, medicine, and transportation.From a veteran science writer, evolutionary biologist, historian of science, and the coauthor of the acclaimed How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog).**In the 1870s, horses were the lifeblood of North American cities. New York, Boston, Chicago, and Toronto relied on tens of thousands of workhorses to power daily li...

"Combines accessible prose with solid science."— Wall Street Journal • " Demonstrates that whatever creature you are—from a giraffe to a Tasmanian devil—life is all about who you know."— New Scientist • "Fascinating. . . . Easily the most intriguing, thorough explanation of animal behavior ever produced."— Library Journal (starred review) • "This book makes a fitting companion to Ed Yong's An Immense World. An entertaining tour o...

Since the last edition of this definitive textbook was published in 2013, much has happened in the field of animal behavior. In this fourth edition, Lee Alan Dugatkin draws on cutting-edge new work not only to update and expand on the studies presented, but also to reinforce the previous editions’ focus on ultimate and proximate causation, as well as the book’s unique emphasis on natural selection, learning, and cultural transmission. The result is a state-of-the-art textbook on animal beh...

What began as a utopian environment, where mice had sumptuous accommodations, had all the food and water they could want, and were free from disease and predators, turned into a mouse hell. Science writer and animal behaviorist Lee Alan Dugatkin introduces listeners to the work of rodent researcher John Bumpass Calhoun. Dugatkin shows how an ecologist-turned-psychologist-turned-futurist became a science rock star embedded in the culture of the 1960s and 1970s. As interest grew in his roden...

The quest for power in animals is so much richer, so much more nuanced than who wins what knock-down, drag-out fight. Indeed, power struggles among animals often look more like an opera than a boxing match. Tracing the path to power for over thirty different species on six continents, writer and behavioral ecologist Lee Alan Dugatkin takes us on a journey around the globe, shepherded by leading researchers who have discovered that in everything from hyenas to dolphins, bonobos to field mic...

Tucked away in Siberia, there are furry, four-legged creatures with wagging tails and floppy ears that are as docile and friendly as any lapdog. But, despite appearances, these are not dogs—they are foxes. They are the result of the most astonishing experiment in breeding ever undertaken—imagine speeding up thousands of years of evolution into a few decades. In 1959, biologists Dmitri Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut set out to do just that, by starting with a few dozen silver foxes from fox farm...

An engaging exploration of the wondrous social webs that permeate life in animal societies around the world.It's all about who you know. Whether vampire bats sharing blood meals for survival, field crickets remembering champion fighters, macaque monkeys forming grooming pacts after a deadly hurricane, or great tit birds learning the best way to steal milk—it pays to be well connected.In this tour of the animal kingdom, evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatk...

From the shell wars of hermit crabs to little blue penguins spying on potential rivals, power struggles in the animal kingdom are as diverse as they are fascinating, and this book illuminates their surprising range and connections.The quest for power in animals is so much richer, so much more nuanced than who wins what knock-down, drag-out fight. Indeed, power struggles among animals often look more like an opera than a boxing match. Tracing the path to power for o...

Incorporating essential revisions to reflect the latest scientific advancements, a celebrated author and scientist offers a leading textbook on animal behavior.So much has happened in the field of animal behavior since the last edition of this definitive textbook was published in 2020. In this fifth edition, Lee Alan Dugatkin continues to draw on cutting-edge new research not only to update and expand on the studies presented but also to reinforce the previous edit...