Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle

This account of animal weapons, whether they be spines, claws, antlers, or teeth, along with many other intriguing armaments designed to enhance survival and reproductive dominance, presents a riveting adventure scenario. But when parallels are drawn between the biologic evolution of defensive devices in animals and the technological development of armaments by humans, the relationships become stunningly shocking. Douglas Emlen, a biology professor at the University of Montana, relates a very readable story of the armaments race in nature, ranging from the smallest bugs to the giant moose. Over time these creatures have developed and refined weaponry to ensure their survival, but these enhancements come with a price. Greater defenses, whether they be with humans or in the animals described, demand costs, and larger claws or antlers or prettier feathers are gained at the expense of other physical assets and sometimes make the bearer more visibly vulnerable. For civilizations, military expenditures demand budget shortcuts on social services and other difficulties. In this remarkable tale, elegantly illustrated with drawings and photographs, the Darwinian saga of survival mechanisms and their evolution translates the work of nature into an incredible story that is stranger than fiction.