Tropical nature, and other essays

In this thoughtful collection the author draws on twelve years of travel across both eastern and western equatorial zones to explain what truly makes tropical environments distinct. He first unpacks the mechanics of equatorial climate before turning to the extraordinary breadth of plant life that thrives under constant heat and light, and finally to the animals whose forms and colors seem uniquely adapted to those conditions.

The essays move beyond colourful description, using humming‑birds as a vivid case study of rapid evolutionary change spurred by the tropics’ relentless energy. Discussions of pigment, the geographic spread of species, and the clues these provide about ancient climates reveal how climate shapes biology on a grand scale. By separating the essential tropical traits from the accidental, the work offers listeners a clear, science‑grounded portrait of a world that, while dazzling, operates under its own subtle rules.