Triumph of Seeds

We live in a world of seeds. From our morning coffee to the cotton in our clothes, seeds surround us all day long. They give us food and fuels, intoxicants and poisons, oils, dyes, fibers, and spices. Without seeds there would be no bread, rice, beans, corn, or nuts. They are quite literally the stuff of life, supporting diets, economies, lifestyles, and civilizations around the globe. Yet in spite of their importance in nature and their role in human survival, their story has never been fully told. In "The Triumph of Seeds," award-winning conservation biologist Thor Hanson explores the story of seeds by asking a simple question: why are they so successful? Seed plants have become so abundant that it's hard to believe that for much of evolutionary history, they did not even exist. Hundreds of millions of years passed where other plant life dominated the earth--first algae and then spore plants like quillworts, horsetails, mosses, and ferns. Once they evolved, though, seeds became an incredibly efficient mechanism for plants to reproduce, protect themselves, and travel long distances. The evolutionary history of seeds shows not only why they have been able to thrive in nature, but also why they are so vital to human survival. Blending expert, yet user-friendly, explanations of science with humorous first-person reportage and fascinating historical anecdotes, "The Triumph of Seeds" deftly traces the history and science of seeds. From a mountaintop overlooking the Dead Sea to 300 feet below an Illinois coal mine, from an encounter with vipers to a misguided attempt to crack an ironclad nut, Hanson takes readers on a fascinating scientific adventure through the wild and beautiful world of seeds.