Patrick Aryee | An Island Press author

Patrick Aryee

As a biologist and self-confessed thrill seeker, Patrick Aryee has always had a fascination with how things work. Since 2012, Patrick has been a documentary filmmaker and wildlife TV presenter across a number of programs for major broadcasters, including the BBC and Sky. His ambition is to inspire and surprise us, as he takes us on a journey around the globe from the very comfort of our homes. Through his stories and animal encounters many of us have witnessed the raw power of fearsome predators like big cats, uncovered reality-defying super senses of nighttime hunters, and plunged the deep blue to swim alongside the mysterious creatures that call our oceans home. As the presenter of the hugely successful podcast 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter, Patrick now brings his words as a compelling orator to the written form in this his first book. 

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter by Patrick Aryee | An Island Press book

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter

Stories of the Natural World That Inspired Human Ingenuity

Did you know that mosquitoes’ mouthparts are helping to develop pain-free surgical needles? Who'd have thought that the humble mussel could inspire so many useful things, from plywood production to a “glue” that can cement the crowns on teeth? Or that the design of polar bear fur may one day help keep humans warm in space? In everything from fashion to architecture, medicine to transportation, it may surprise you how many extraordinary inventions have been inspired by the natural world.

Take the woodpecker as one incredible example.