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Beschreibung

An illuminating survey of the scientific and cultural history of the many-named glowing insect: the spark bug, lightning bug, or firefly.

Fireflies have inspired poets, songwriters, and scientists for centuries. Their brief, flickering light has stood for love, destiny, wealth, and cosmic mystery while also attracting Renaissance alchemists and modern researchers determined to understand bioluminescence. Long celebrated in Japanese folklore, the firefly is not without a dark side: witchcraft and black magic have represented it as a forlorn, mischievous, or bloodthirsty spirit. Its real life is equally dramatic: predatory behavior both within and beyond the species, and the growing threat of extinction, challenge the insects that illuminate our summer nights. This book brings together biology, legend, and art, accompanied by a remarkable portfolio of field photographs and international artworks. The result is a luminous portrait of a fragile creature with enduring power over the human imagination.

An illuminating survey of the scientific and cultural history of the many-named glowing insect: the spark bug, lightning bug, or firefly.

Fireflies have inspired poets, songwriters, and scientists for centuries. Their brief, flickering light has stood for love, destiny, wealth, and cosmic mystery while also attracting Renaissance alchemists and modern researchers determined to understand bioluminescence. Long celebrated in Japanese folklore, the firefly is not without a dark side: witchcraft and black magic have represented it as a forlorn, mischievous, or bloodthirsty spirit. Its real life is equally dramatic: predatory behavior both within and beyond the species, and the growing threat of extinction, challenge the insects that illuminate our summer nights. This book brings together biology, legend, and art, accompanied by a remarkable portfolio of field photographs and international artworks. The result is a luminous portrait of a fragile creature with enduring power over the human imagination.

Über den Autor

Paolo Cherchi Usai is senior curator-at-large of the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York. His previous books include The Art of Film Projection.

Details
Erscheinungsjahr: 2026
Genre: Importe
Produktart: Nachschlagewerke
Rubrik: Hobby & Freizeit
Thema: Tiere/Jagen/Angeln
Medium: Taschenbuch
Inhalt: Einband - flex.(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9781836392736
ISBN-10: 1836392737
Sprache: Englisch
Einband: Kartoniert / Broschiert
Autor: Cherchi Usai, Paolo
Hersteller: Reaktion Books Ltd
Verantwortliche Person für die EU: Libri GmbH, Europaallee 1, D-36244 Bad Hersfeld, gpsr@libri.de
Maße: 190 x 135 x 10 mm
Von/Mit: Paolo Cherchi Usai
Erscheinungsdatum: 28.09.2026
Gewicht: 0,247 kg
Artikel-ID: 136264958