Exploring Nature

Through decades of martial arts and meditation practice, Peter Ralston discovered a curious and paradoxical fact: that true awareness arises from a state of not knowing. Even the most sincere investigation of self and spirit, he says, is often sabotaged by our tendency to grab too quickly for answers and ideas as we retreat to the safety of the known.

Shirley MacLaine has found a perfect love in the furry bundle of irresistible canine charms that is Terry. With her winning terrier ways and an endless wellspring of love with no strings attached, Terry has succeeded in doing what no one before her ever has: slowing Shirley's peripatetic travels, shifting the actress/author's global axis to hearth and home.

The Well-Planned Universe provides evidence-based insights into the nature of our world, ourselves, and the universe beyond. The book explains how recent developments in computer science along with evidence from physics, astronomy, chemistry, and biology reveal that there is more to the universe and ourselves than most people realize.

Beautiful wildernesses; tiny budgets; environmentally-friendly… What’s not to like? And it's all accessible right here, without the need for a flight or a big budget. From getting back to nature with a tent, some matches and a few litres of bottled water, to enjoying a pub dinner and camping out in the garden afterwards, this book shows how to get stuck into wild camping in all its forms.

Did you know that trees take care of each other and that the whole forest is connected? DK's audiobook The Magic & Mystery of Trees takes children on a fascinating journey of exploration, showing them just how special these mighty organisms are. Discover how they communicate and warn each other of predators, how they nurture their networks, record the past and anticipate the future to ensure their survival.

Interest in psychedelic mushrooms has never been greater–or the science less definitive. Popular science writer and amateur mycologist Eugenia Bone reports on the state of psychedelics today, from microdosing to heroic trips, illustrating how “citizen science” and anecdotal accounts of the mushrooms’ benefits are leading the new wave of scientific inquiry into psilocybin. With her signature blend of first-person narrative and scientific rigor, Bone breaks down just how the complicated cocktail of psychoactive compounds is thought to interact with our brain chemistry.

With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow.

Prompted by a friend to describe Jesus as he is - not as he was or will be in the coming days - Dick Eastman found himself stammering. What followed over many months was a desire to get to know the Jesus who had changed his life, but in a much fuller and richer way - now! From then on, on scraps of folded paper in his pockets, Eastman found himself recording adjectives describing the nature and character of Jesus Christ, expanding them later into a personal devotional journal.

Will fly fishing survive the twenty-first century? Author and angler Paul Guernsey argues that angling and the natural resources it depends upon—clear rivers, unpolluted oceans, and much more—are threatened by a host of increasingly complex social and environmental factors.

In Spring Tides, marine biologist Fiona Gell tells the story of a pioneering project to create the very first marine nature reserve on the Isle of Man. Growing up in a traditional fishing family on the island, Fiona spent her time on her grandfather's boat, listening to stories from the local fishermen and combing the beach for mermaid's purses and whelks' eggs.

Enlightenment is a concept that has fascinated philosophers, mystics, and scientists for centuries. But what exactly is enlightenment, and how can we cultivate this state of being in our own lives? In this comprehensive book, we explore the nature of enlightenment from a variety of perspectives, including neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. Drawing on insights from a range of cultural and religious traditions, as well as the latest scientific research, we provide a comprehensive overview of this elusive but transformative human experience.

Learn how to call for owls, walk like a fox and expand your sensory perceptions. Wild Nights Out is a wonderful new hands-on guide for those who wish to take kids (of all ages) outdoors for fun, thrilling nighttime nature adventures.

For Irwin Shapiro, science starts with questions. This book provides a broad and entertaining survey of major scientific discoveries that have changed our views of nature and, in turn, spawned further questions. Shapiro, an award-winning scientist and beloved teacher, separates his inquiry into three parts: looking up at the universe; looking down at the earth and its fossils; and looking in at the story of life. His framework encourages listeners to view science as a detective story—to observe and question nature and natural phenomena, and to base all conclusions on scientific evidence.

Make your dream National Park adventure come to life, even if you have never set foot in a national park before? Is a hike through Yellowstone trails always been on your bucket list? Ever dreamt of a sun-soaked vacation in Joshua Tree or a winter wonderland getaway in Denali? With so many national parks, are you unsure where to start? A passport to extraordinary adventures in America’s national parks is finally here.

In Beastly Brains, Nancy Castaldo delves into the minds of animals and explores animal empathy, communication, tool use, and social societies through interviews and historical anecdotes. Researchers from Charles Darwin to Jane Goodall have spent years analyzing the minds of animals, and today's science is revolutionizing old theories and uncovering surprising similarities to our own minds. Humans are not alone in our ability to think.

What do stems do? Kids will learn how stems are like straws, moving water and food throughout the plant.

Why do plants have flowers? Listeners will discover how flowers can develop into fruits, vegetables, or seeds for producing more plants.

What are seeds? Young listeners will learn how seeds turn into plants and how seeds are distributed to different places.

Why do plants need roots? Listeners will learn how roots take in water, anchor plants to the ground, and even become foods to eat.

What do leaves do? Students will learn how leaves use air, water, and sunlight to make food for the plant.