THE WEIGHT OF NATURE by Clayton Page Aldern is subtitled "How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains." Aldern, a neuroscientist turned award-winning environmental journalist, looks at both the emotional and physical impacts on people from changes in nature. For example, he discusses PTSD triggered by more wildfires or the increased range for bats and mosquitoes (and the diseases they spread like rabies or Zika) due to higher temperatures. In addition to infection or trauma, the text explores memory, cognition, and behavior. Aldern stresses that hotter temperatures lead to more aggressiveness and make it harder to concentrate and focus. Other chapters which look at pain, sensing, and language are where he notes that "a changing climate also threatens our ability to notice some of the signals most relevant to our survival." He describes examples of how water temperature and ocean acidification can impact crustacean olfactory systems or how pesticides "impair the homing abilities of honeybees." Just reflect on the trees and plants in your neighborhood and how they seemed "confused" about when to bud or when to drop leaves, especially after periods of unusual cold or warmth or record-setting precipitation. Aldern documents his years of research in a section titled Notes and Further Reading which comprises roughly twenty percent of the text. Somewhat rambling in places, THE WEIGHT OF NATURE received a starred review from Kirkus ("a unique—and uniquely disturbing—addition to the literature").

“When heat takes its place in your brain, it is pushing you out”.

After reading so many books and articles about the climate crisis, I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and original this was. Written with journalistic flair, it explores unexpected links between rising temperatures and the behavior of the human brain.

It begins by exploring the question so many experts ask - why we don't act with sufficient urgency, why climate change is so hard to grasp. I found this part eye-opening. In later chapters, the author turns his attention to how our brains may be affected by our warming world - and while some similar physiological aspects have been described, for example, in the excellent "The Heat Will Kill You First", here too he is able to discover totally unexpected effects and grim consequences. In the process, he ventures into so many areas of interest to me: zoonotic diseases, forest fires, animal senses, linguistics.

Aldern neatly sums up my own feelings when he writes that “climate anxiety is real. But the phrase is a misnomer. Anxiety, psychiatrically, suggests irrational fear. There is nothing irrational about worrying about collapse.” All this paints a rather apocalyptic picture, as the author himself admits - but he adds that “if we want a shot at warding off the coming neurological nightmare, we have to walk into this thing with open eyes”. And I agree. Everyone should read this book, it is too late to pretend that we can comfortably ignore what awaits us all. As Aldern writes towards the end, “Recognizing and welcoming our heavy planetary bonds may offer a means of realizing a societal response to the climate crisis—a manner in which we can build the connections that are necessary for the collective action that protest, policymaking, and accountability require. Anchored, steadied by grief, we can act”.

Thanks to the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This is essentially a book about grief. People experiencing psychological effects from climate change might find it useful. The science is interesting but repetitive—everything the author says, he says two or three times. I hope the book is heavily edited prior to publication.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I think I need to take a break from reading climatology books for awhile. They just make me sad, angry and depressed. There are simple changes to help excessive CO2 like changing what you eat, but food and what people eat is a heavy topic; everyone has an opinion. The grains being used to fatten up animals used in animal agriculture can be used to feed to feed the global population. That is just for starters....

There are just too many people globally using non-rewable resources like water. Do not even get me started about the destruction/pollution of the oceans.

Cutting down trees for other human needs when trees naturally absorb/protect us from CO2..

People globally do not want to admit that were also entering the era of the 6th extinction. General population does not realize if bees go extinct, that is the end of fruits, veggies, and most products used on a daily basis. Bees need protection.

This book tackles all these topics and more. It is just so sickening and depressing to think the planet is screwed.

Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Clayton Page Aldern and Columbia Univeristy Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available:
3/5/2024

Nature is changing in more ways than we realize. Author Clayton Page Aldern describes some truly frightening phenomena that are increasing due to warming oceans, wildfire air pollution, and much more. In my readings of articles in my favorite magazines, "National Geographic" and "Scientific American," I know that an incredible amount of work on saving our planet is being done by organizations and individuals, but we are in a battle for our very existence, and we MUST increase our knowledge and our actions exponentially if we are to succeed. Aldern gives us new information about what we are facing. Don't read this book if you prefer to stick your head in the sand and remain ignorant. If you want to be part of the solution, arm yourself with the information in this outstanding book.

I think a lot of people will love this book, but it's just not for me. A little too depressing, not in a way that spurs me into action but instead in a way that just me want to stop reading. However, it's super well-researched and important. The best parts were about the work of Karl Friston (a collaborator of my excavation director from last summer) and the brain-eating amoeba stories.

It was a heavy book on a heavy topic. Other authors are able to take topics and make them interesting and hold the reader’s attention. It felt too much like work to keep reading