We all know “there’s no such thing as monsters,” but our imaginations tell us otherwise. From the mythical beasts of ancient Greece to the hormonal vampires of the Twilight saga, monsters have captivated us for millennia. Matt Kaplan, a noted science journalist and monster-myth enthusiast, employs an entertaining mix of cutting-edge research and a love of lore to explore the history behind these fantastical fictions and our hardwired obsession with things that go bump in the night.
Ranging across history, Medusa’s Gaze and Vampire’s Bite tackles the enduring questions that arise on the frontier between fantasy and reality. What caused ancient Minoans to create the tale of the Minotaur and its subterranean maze? Did dragons really exist? What inspired the creation of vampires and werewolves, and why are we so drawn to them?
With the eye of a journalist and the voice of a storyteller, Kaplan takes readers to the forefront of science, where our favorite figures of horror may find real-life validation. Does the legendary Kraken, a squid of epic proportions, really roam the deep? Are we close to making Jurassic Park a reality by replicating a dinosaur from fossilized DNA? As our fears evolve, so do our monsters, and Medusa’s Gaze and Vampire’s Bite charts the rise of the ultimate beasts, humans themselves.
- 256 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Dedication
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1. Giant AnimalsâNemean Lion, Calydonian Boar, Rukh, King Kong
- Chapter 2. Beastly BlendsâChimera, Griffon, Cockatrice, Sphinx
- Chapter 3. It Came from the EarthâMinotaur, Medusa
- Chapter 4. The Mysterious FathomsâCharybdis, Leviathan, Giant Squid, Jaws
- Chapter 5. Of Flame and ClawâDragons
- Chapter 6. HauntingsâDemons, Ghosts, Spirits
- Chapter 7. Cursed by a BiteâVampires, Zombies, Werewolves
- Chapter 8. The CreatedâThe Golem, Frankenstein, HAL 9000, Terminator
- Chapter 9. Terror ResurrectedâDinosaurs
- Chapter 10. Extraterrestrial ThreatâAliens
- Conclusion
- Sources
- About Matt Kaplan
- Index
- Copyright
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Yes, you can access The Science of Monsters by Matt Kaplan in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Biological Sciences & Science General. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.