Welcome to the first in a series of books that showcases writings from Zygote Quarterly magazine. The Science of Seeing collects firsthand reports from the field by ZQ columnist Adelheid Fischer. Whether tromping across the slopes of the Mount St. Helens volcano, bending into a listening crouch in the night-time desert, or peering into an ephemeral pool, Fischer compounds our awe for the natural world and deepens our admiration for the men and women who study it.

"Once you meet the stars of these essays--outrageously tactile moles, volcano-healing spiders, old-growth forests that hide in plain sight, and deserts that sparkle at dawn--you'll never watch nor see the natural world in the same way again. Adelheid Fischer's singular voice will make you feel you have stumbled upon a memento box filled with thank you notes for all the natural world has given her. Welcome to the poetry of gratitude."

Janine Benyus, author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature