Mysteries and Marvels of Nature

What sixth sense turns a shark into a deadly hunter? Why does snow sometimes turn red? Where does a penguin keep its egg? And how does a lizard keep its cool in the desert?

Unlock these secrets, and many more, inside this book. From the miniature to the massive, and from the mysterious to the ridiculous—find out how living things from the plant and animal kingdoms cope with everyday life.

Stunning photographs and illustrations reveal a hidden world, in which the plants and creatures with the most ingenious design features succeed.

Throughout this book, there are recommended websites where you can find out more about the mysteries and marvels of nature. All the Web sites are regularly reviewed and can be visited via links on the Usborne Quicklinks Web site. A selection of free pictures from this book is also available in Usborne Quicklinks.

Here are some examples of the many things you can do on the websites recommended in this book:

• take an interactive journey into the abyss, finding deep-sea creatures along the way
  
• experience a chick's-eye view of life inside a bird's nest
  
• have a terrifying close encounter with a great white shark
  
• discover exactly what plants do in private
  
• listen to the incredible singing of humpback whales
  
• discover some of the world's most poisonous plants
  
• find out what the world looks like to a bee
  
• go on a nighttime safari in the Kalahari Desert
  
• find out everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies

Please note that you do not need a computer to use this book. It works on its own as an outstanding reference book without using the internet at all.