Hummingbirds

Thursday

23 Jun 2022
Caspar Henderson
Fish that swim backwards – and other natural wonders
Fish that swim backwards – and other natural wonders
Caspar Henderson
Fish that swim backwards – and other natural wonders

In the Zhuangzi, a collection of tales attributed to the eponymous 4th-century BC Chinese philosopher, a frog that lives in a well boasts about its comfortable way of life to a visiting sea turtle. When the turtle describes its own existence in the vast expanse of the ocean, however, the frog has no idea what to make of it. The story is, of course, a humorous parable about typical human limitations and the possibility of stepping beyond them. But it could serve almost as well as an introduction to Ed Yong’s new book, which confirms in rich detail what Zhuangzi intuited: the nature and range of different forms of animal perception is astounding, and a greater appreciation of them has the potential to enrich human life.

Fish that swim backwards – and other natural wonders
Useful links
  • Advertise with us
  • Sponsor an event
  • Submit a story
More from The Spectator
  • Spectator Australia
  • Apollo Magazine
  • The Spectator Shop
About us
  • About The Spectator
  • Contact & FAQs
  • Privacy & cookies
  • Terms and conditions
  • Jobs and vacancies
  • Site map
Subscribe
  • Subscribe today
  • Sign up to our emails
  • The Spectator Club