Have you ever wondered: What are the merits, if any, of mosquitos? Why is the act of sex fatal for some species of salmon? What are the bimbos of the natural world? Why are there 300,000 species of beetles? Are crows too smart? David Quammen has.He answers these questions and more in this remarkable book, which explores the mysteries and patterns of the natural world with extraordinary perception and beauty. Though about science, this collection of essays was not written by a scientist. In "Natural Acts", David Quammen allows us a unique view of a world "on the fringe" of science.