Product description Should we bother to conserve the panda if it is doomed to extinction no matter what we do? Can you teach babies to read when they are only 3 months old? Do crocodiles use tools to kill birds? Is the protein GDF11 the secret to a long life? These questions (and more) are addressed in this diverse collection of stories which focus on some of the leading discoveries in bioscience during 2014. Engagingly written in accessible language the stories bring leading science to life without losing the central messages of the original research. The result is a collection of thought provoking essays that will entertain and inform the inquisitive mind at all ages from the late teens upwards. Perfect as a stocking filler, birthday gift or holiday read. About the author John R Speakman is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland in the UK, and a feature writer for the popular science magazine 'Newton'.