Daniel M. Bensen's Q&A discussion

What was your first introduction to spec evolution and/or really inspired your interest in the topic of "what-if" biology?

Hi Kacy!
After Man by Dougal Dixon. I must have been 8, and it scared the hell out of me! Especially the "slobber" (an arboreal ambush insectivore related to...possums?) But I rediscovered it when I was 11 and loved it. I've found speculation is a good way both to teach and learn something. "Here is a fictional example of a real process"(for example convergent evolution in Dixon's porpins). Or "here is a book on foundational papers in ecology. It's not so boring if you imagine aliens at the same time" :)