An Immense World

We live surrounded by light, sound, scent, and sensation—but each creature on Earth experiences these things differently. Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer Ed Yong invites us into the hidden realms of animal senses, revealing how every species navigates life within its own unique sensory bubble.

From turtles that read magnetic fields to beetles drawn to distant fires, from electric fish broadcasting signals through murky waters to dogs decoding an entire story in a single sniff, Yong illuminates a dazzling spectrum of perception. We learn how crocodiles feel through their faces, how scallops see with dozens of eyes, and how songbirds and insects fill the world with sound and vibration we never notice. Even humans, it turns out, can stretch their perception in surprising ways.

Combining cutting-edge research with vivid storytelling, An Immense World opens a portal into the richness of non-human experience. With humor, clarity, and reverence, Yong shows us what it means to truly see the world through other eyes—and how our own understanding of nature deepens when we step outside the limits of our senses.