Hummingbirds & other Miracles:
an ABC of Wonder
3rd in Alphabet
series
Fascinating facts about the natural world and human behavior, including quotes,
a liberal sprinkling of illustrations, children’s drawings, and graphics.
(excerpt)
70: Number of facial muscled needed to say one word.
Hummingbirds can fly forward, backward and even upside down, reaching speeds
of up to 45 mph in a dive..
It’s a popular fact that 90 percent of the BRAIN is not used, and like
most popular facts, it is wrong. . . It is used. One of its functions is to make
the miraculous seem ordinary, to turn the unusual into the usual. Otherwise,
human beings, faced with the daily wonderousness of everything, would go around
wearing a stupid grin, saying “Wow,” a lot. Part of the brain exists
to stop this from happening. It is very efficient, and can make people experience
boredom in the middle of marvels.
Terry Pratchett