Worms
Everyone knows about Charles Darwin and his biological theory of evolution and the survival of the fittest but not everyone knows that Darwin devoted the last years of his life to the study of the earthworm. Why would he do that? Because the humble earthworm has a profound role in the ecosystem. It tills the soil, destroys microscopic organisms which cause plant disease, breaks down toxins and turns waste into rich compost.
Charles Darwin was not alone in his fascination with the creature. Amy Stewart has written a book called The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms
Reading it is not only an enlightening educational experience but it is also enjoyable and knowing something more about the creatures on which the rise - and possibly the future - of civilisation may depend is definitely worthwhile
