Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid

The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change

By: Thor Hanson

Narrated by: Stacy Carolan

A beloved natural historian explores how climate change is driving evolution

In Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, biologist Thor Hanson tells the remarkable story of how plants and animals are responding to climate change: adjusting, evolving, and sometimes dying out. Anole lizards have grown larger toe pads, to grip more tightly in frequent hurricanes. Warm waters cause the development of Humboldt squid to alter so dramatically that fishermen mistake them for different species. Brown pelicans move north, and long-spined sea urchins south, to find cooler homes. And when coral reefs sicken, they leave no territory worth fighting for, so aggressive butterfly fish transform instantly into pacifists.

A story of hope, resilience, and risk, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is natural history for listeners of Bernd Heinrich, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and David Haskell. It is also a reminder of how unpredictable climate change is as it interacts with the messy lattice of life.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Thor Hanson (P)2021 Basic Books

Critic reviews

“Hanson writes a hopeful and compelling story exploring various climate adaptations in the animal and plant worlds with a rare combination of engrossing clarity and robust interrogation. He encourages us to lift our own voices and actually assert change. Each enormously engaging essay proves what I've known for some time: Thor Hanson is a marvel whose enthusiasm for this planet is utterly contagious.” (Aimee Nezhukumatathil, New York Times best-selling author of World of Wonders)

“Thor Hanson’s clear-eyed science writing meets its best topic yet in this book. While governments and publics joust over climate change, biologists studying all the ways wild animals are already responding to it are five steps ahead of the game. Hanson takes his readers on a tour of this cutting edge in our rapidly-changing world. Yes, there are looming extinctions. But before you wring your hands in despair, read this book. As it always has, life finds a way.” (Dan Flores, New York Times best-selling author of Coyote America)

“With contagious curiosity, Hanson nimbly avoids pedantic, moralistic admonishments. Nature-lovers will be thrilled to see science so vividly described, and will marvel at the incredible ingenuity of creatures across the globe.” (Publishers Weekly)

Aimed at a general audience, but good for pros too

With a title like Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, how could I resist the book? The author breaks down the science of ecology and climate change into manageable chunks, with each of its thirteen chapters focusing on different aspects of how we know what's happening and its impact, including critical concepts seldom discussed outside academic circles, such as timeframes, life zones, and refugium. Although aimed at a general audience, people within the field will also find it interesting for its approach to science education.

Easy listening and interesting.

I enjoyed the author’s biological perspective on climate change. Easy to listen to and informative.

Great book!

I was about two hours from finishing this book and realized how much I enjoyed this book and the facts, not just about global climate change but how the author brought in how closely related everything on Earth actually is tp each other

I rnded up going to the closest book store and purchasing the last hardcover copy they had in stock. I haven't bought a new physical book in a long time.

Keep up the good work, and thank you for writing this book.

Wonderful

A fantastic book that delves into the tangible changes in nature due to changes in climate. Well researched and well written!

Superficial and uninspiring

The target audience is, or should be, beginner level (nothing wrong with that!), but even so the book is disappointingly superficial, depending largely on not-particularly-interesting anecdotes involving the author’s interactions with other researchers. The conclusions, in the last chapter, amount to a not very well supported or argued call to action. Before that, there are some interesting tidbits sprinkled throughout, but it’s not clear to me that they justify the time spent listening or reading.