Eaten by a Giant Clam

Book excerpt: The history of natural science across its many disciplines, including zoology, botany, geology or even malacology (the study of molluscs) is often a case of truth being stranger than fiction. There are countless stirring, occasionally alarming, natural history adventure stories to be told, rollicking tales of men and women risking life and limb in the name of science and in the cause of the broadening of human knowledge. Eaten by a Giant Clam focuses on the work of these natural scientists in the field. It comprises 22 stories, with a focus on the heyday of natural history endeavours between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. Each story surveys the life and career of the scientist, with the main focus being career highlights and their most striking adventures. This fascinating book ranges in content from the humorous to the tragic, from the virtually unbelievable to the inspirational.