The Backlog
The Evolution of Beauty is perfect to understand dating, mate choice, and Instagram thirst traps
Ornithologist and evolutionary biologist Richard Prum's book explains mate choice and evolution by unveiling the strange and striking world of birds.
In 2017, Yale ornithologist Prum released his book about the spectacular world of avian partner selection and the stunning emphasis these creatures place on physical beauty. It made the average thirst trap on Instagram look lukewarm and boring.
Through The Evolution of Beauty, Prum shows how sexual selection among birds has birthed a gamut of ornamental traits that provide little functionality (some of these traits could even endanger a particular bird's life like bright colors or song pitches that attract predators) but pure aesthetic pleasure.
