Author(s): Steve Mushin

NZ Natural History | Summer Reading Guide 2023/2024 | Natural History | Science and Maths | 2024 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

Mind-bendingly original and full of intricate illustrations, Ultrawild is totally unique, containing over one hundred outrageously funny, scientifically plausible inventions for rewilding cities and saving the planet. Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the planet. Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems and develops a deadly serious plan to transform cities into jungles, rewilding them into carbon-sucking mega-habitats for all species, and as fast as possible. Through marvellously designed and hilarious engineering ideas, Mushin shares his vision for super-high-tech urban rewilding, covering the science of climate change, futuristic materials and foods, bio reactors, soil, forest ecosystems, mechanical flight, solar thermal power and working out just how fast we could actually turn roads into jungles, absorb carbon and reverse climate change. Developed over seven years, Ultrawild is an optimistic book about creative thinking, science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and the potential for massive change. Filled with laugh-out-loud design-ridiculousness, it aims to empower and excite a new generation of designers, scientists, engineers and ultra-wild thinkers. 'If this book does not fire your imagination, nothing will. Steve Mushin doesn't hold back when thinking about our green future; humanity needs all the ideas it can get to bring climate change under control, and this book is packed with them!' Professor James Renwick, climate scientist