The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms

by Amy Stewart (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2005

  $4.20

  The august Charles Darwin devoted the last years of his life to the meticulous study of one animal: the earthworm. It may be small, spineless and blind, but its role in the ecosystem is profound. It tills the soil, destroys microscopic organisms that cause plant disease, breaks down toxins and turns the ground into rich compost, creating the most fertile areas on earth. In a witty and offbeat encomium to this humble creature, Amy Stewart weaves her own back garden investigations with those of the eccentric oligochaetologists who have made the close study of worms their personal obsession. From the legendary giant Australian worm that burrows up to fifteen feet below the ground to the modest nightcrawler that inspired Darwin to write his last book and Amy Stewart's own collection of red wrigglers, The Earth Moves finally gives worms their due and exposes the hidden and extraordinary universe below our feet.

• New

  Paperback
  2012

  $12.86

  In the tradition of the bestselling book The Botany of Desire comes this fascinating exploration of the world underground and one of its most amazing denizens. The earthworm may be small, spineless, and blind, but its role in the ecosystem is profound. It tills the soil, destroys microscopic organisms that cause plant disease, breaks down toxins, and turns soil into rich compost, creating the most fertile areas on earth. In her witty and offbeat style, Amy Stewart shows just how much depends on the humble worm. The august Charles Darwin devoted his last years to the meticulous study of these creatures, admiring their remarkable achievements. It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organized creatures, he declared. With Darwin as her inspiration, Stewart weaves her own backyard investigations with those of the obsessed oligochaetologists, unearthing the complex life that exists beneath our feet.