Discovering the First of Their Kind
Popular Science, Non-Fiction
A magnificent voyage of discovery through the animal kingdom
It’s every naturalist’s dream to discover a new species of animal. Michael Ohl enthrals readers with tales of daring expeditions into swampy rainforests and the depths of the ocean, searching for the world’s most incredible creatures. Meticulously recorded, they enter the history books as the first of their kind. In one such tale, in 1847, explorers came across the fearsome gorilla, proving that humans have a close relative. In 1957, an ancient mollusc, thought to have been long since extinct, was hauled to the ocean surface from a depth of 3000 metres. The platypus also caused a sensation – discovered in 1799, it still seems like an evolutionary accident even today. Fascinating, captivating, informative – this is a richly illustrated journey through natural history’s greatest discoveries.
- Tracking down the world’s most important species
- Prof. Dr. Ohl is one of Germany's leading zoologists and has discovered around 50 animal species
- Beautiful, full-colour illustrations
Michael OHl, born in 1964, is a curator and researcher at the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, where he co-founded the Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery. He also teaches at Humboldt University in Berlin. Ohl’s research topics include the evolutionary biology of wasps, systematics and taxonomy, and the history of science.
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A magnificent voyage of discovery through the animal kingdom
It’s every naturalist’s dream to discover a new species of animal. Michael Ohl enthrals readers with tales of daring expeditions into swampy rainforests and the depths of the ocean, searching for the world’s most incredible creatures. Meticulously recorded, they enter the history books as the first of their kind. In one such tale, in 1847, explorers came across the fearsome gorilla, proving that humans have a close relative. In 1957, an ancient mollusc, thought to have been long since extinct, was hauled to the ocean surface from a depth of 3000 metres. The platypus also caused a sensation – discovered in 1799, it still seems like an evolutionary accident even today. Fascinating, captivating, informative – this is a richly illustrated journey through natural history’s greatest discoveries.
- Tracking down the world’s most important species
- Prof. Dr. Ohl is one of Germany's leading zoologists and has discovered around 50 animal species
- Beautiful, full-colour illustrations