Even at a surface level, this is a cool book full of fun facts written in an accessible way. But this book is so much more than that. What makes this a five star book is that the author organically weaves in discussions about ecological responsibility, disability, pitfalls of human scientific research, and anthropocentrism.

My own forum posts demonstrate how many interesting, often philosophical topics came up throughout the book:

• Epistemic humility and empathy
• Human vision and a socialized response to “seeing” certain species
• Pain research and bioethics
• Hydrodynamic navigation is cool
• Dune sandworms are real?
• Female Frog Rage
• Anthropocentric design and disturbances to others’ Umwelten

Yong didn’t need to use big words like epistemology, or even much scientific jargon. He is so good at breaking down complex (and perceptually foreign) concepts for a general audience. The writing is not only clear and thoughtfully organized, but also often beautiful and poignant. I highly recommend the audiobook (narrated by the author)—the cadence and tone are perfect and has great synergy with the prose. The book is so well-written that I want to reread a physical copy and highlight various passages.

My world feels richer and I feel more connected to other lives that roam the earth, all thanks to this book.