Rose O'Donnell
Thor Hanson, conservation biologist and award-winning author, will read from his latest book, Triumph of Seeds, about how seeds not only out-performed their plant rivals but changed how humans have evolved.
Thor is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow, and an award-winning author. His 2011 book, Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle, won the John Burroughs Medal.
Thor explores how each feature that helped seeds outperform their ancient predecessor, spores, also underlies the reasons humans benefit from them:
- Early man sought out the nourishment that seeds carry, turning nomads into gardeners.
- Seeds set themselves up so animals, including man, can help them travel.
- Seeds become dormant and can be stored – allowing humans to pass them along.
- Seeds’ defenses are useful, even entertaining, to humans: The search for nutmeg and peppercorns drove the Age of Discovery. Cottonseed sparked the Industrial Revolution.
This is the first lecture of the Seattle Naturalists Winter Lecture Series
Time: 7-9pm
When: Wednesday, Nov. 11
Where: Goodman A at the Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park.
