Description
Discover the profound impact of plants on our everyday lives with 'What Have Plants Ever Done for Us?' by Stephen Harris. This engaging book takes you on a chronological journey, exploring fifty essential plants that have shaped the development of the Western world. From the humble coffee bush that fuels your morning energy to the rubber tree responsible for car tires, every page reveals the intricate links between humanity and the plant kingdom. With in-depth discussions on trade, politics, medicine, travel, and chemistry, you will uncover how these vital plants contribute to our food, fuel, and medicines.
Are you curious about the key plants that influence our lives? Learn about surprising facts like which everyday condiment is the most traded spice worldwide or which tree plays a role in cancer treatment. This book elegantly illustrates how our dependence on plants is not just historical but continues to evolve as we discover new uses, from biofuels to traditional medicines. Perfect for anyone interested in understanding the significance of nature in our lives, 'What Have Plants Ever Done for Us?' is an essential addition to your bookshelf.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781851244478
Format: With dust jacket
Year: 2015
Publisher: Bodleian Library Publishing
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781851244478
Format: With dust jacket
Year: 2015
Publisher: Bodleian Library Publishing
Description:
When did the British Government become the world's largest drugs pusher? What tree is frequently used to treat cancer? Which everyday condiment is the most widely traded spice on the planet?
Plants are an indispensable part of our everyday life. From the coffee bush and grass for cattle which give us milk for our cappuccinos to the rubber tree which produces tyres for our cars, our lives are inextricably linked to the world of plants.
Taking us on a chronological journey, Stephen Harris identifies fifty plants that have been key to the development of the Western world, discussing trade, politics, medicine, travel and chemistry along the way.
Plants have provided paper and ink, chemicals that could kill or cure, vital sustenance and stimulants. Some, such as barley, have been staples from earliest times; others, such as oil palm, are newcomers to Western industry. Moreover, with time, uses change: beets, which have been used variously as a treatment for leprosy, source of sugar and animal feed, are now showing potential as biofuels. What may the future hold for mandrake or woad?
We remain dependent on plants for our food, our fuel and our medicines. Their effects on our lives, as the stories in this wide-ranging and engaging book demonstrate, continue to be profound, and often unpredictable.
Are you curious about the key plants that influence our lives? Learn about surprising facts like which everyday condiment is the most traded spice worldwide or which tree plays a role in cancer treatment. This book elegantly illustrates how our dependence on plants is not just historical but continues to evolve as we discover new uses, from biofuels to traditional medicines. Perfect for anyone interested in understanding the significance of nature in our lives, 'What Have Plants Ever Done for Us?' is an essential addition to your bookshelf.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781851244478
Format: With dust jacket
Year: 2015
Publisher: Bodleian Library Publishing
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781851244478
Format: With dust jacket
Year: 2015
Publisher: Bodleian Library Publishing
Description:
When did the British Government become the world's largest drugs pusher? What tree is frequently used to treat cancer? Which everyday condiment is the most widely traded spice on the planet?
Plants are an indispensable part of our everyday life. From the coffee bush and grass for cattle which give us milk for our cappuccinos to the rubber tree which produces tyres for our cars, our lives are inextricably linked to the world of plants.
Taking us on a chronological journey, Stephen Harris identifies fifty plants that have been key to the development of the Western world, discussing trade, politics, medicine, travel and chemistry along the way.
Plants have provided paper and ink, chemicals that could kill or cure, vital sustenance and stimulants. Some, such as barley, have been staples from earliest times; others, such as oil palm, are newcomers to Western industry. Moreover, with time, uses change: beets, which have been used variously as a treatment for leprosy, source of sugar and animal feed, are now showing potential as biofuels. What may the future hold for mandrake or woad?
We remain dependent on plants for our food, our fuel and our medicines. Their effects on our lives, as the stories in this wide-ranging and engaging book demonstrate, continue to be profound, and often unpredictable.