How do whales perceive the contours of vast oceans and the location of other whales? How do birds sense where to migrate? These are some of the many questions discussed by Ed Yong in his remarkable book, “An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.”
Yong reframes the human-centered question of whether animals can sense what we sense, to enter the unique, perceptual worlds of other species. Gathering recent scientific research into animal sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, sensitivity to electric and magnetic fields and other senses, he describes what is known about the “umwelt”, or “sensory bubble” of a variety of species from insects to large mammals.
We learn, for instance, that humans’ relatively sharp vision is uncommon in the animal kingdom. Animals generally don’t possess our visual acuity or color differentiation.
On the other hand, many possess vision in the ultraviolet range, a distinct advantage in the wild. In another example, many animals are highly sensitive to physical stimuli such as vibration, currants, pressures, and textures which can provide subtle signals about their environment undetectable to us. The fine structure of bird songs may go beyond establishing location and mating calls to signify identity, intention, health, bonding, and familial coordination. Evidence points to a sense of magnetic north that enables migration of birds, fish, turtles, and whales.
Yong points out that some of these keen animal senses have been thwarted by human-induced light, noise, climate change, and other stresses and distractions. He recommends that we can at least take the small steps of reducing noise and light pollution, which would have an immediate positive effect on many animals’ senses and survival.
The book also captures how difficult it is for scientists to fully understand the vastness of animal sensory worlds despite many years of study, in part because human understanding is clouded by our biases and expectations. One of the messages of the book is that we can observe the natural world with much greater clarity and humility.
“An Immense World” is an expansive and enlightening book, easily readable despite its length and technical nature. It can be checked out from the Park City and Summit County libraries.