Kristin Ohlson in Conversation With Lee van der Voo

What if Nature is more cooperative, and less competitive, than we think? In the follow-up to her previous book, The Soil Will Save Us, Kristin Ohlson’s Sweet in Tooth and Claw (Patagonia) extends the concept of cooperation in nature to the life-affirming connections among microbes, plants, fungi, insects, birds, and animals — including humans — in ecosystems around the globe. For centuries, people have debated whether nature is mostly competitive — as Darwin theorized and the poet Tennyson described as “red in tooth and claw” — or innately cooperative, as many ancient and indigenous peoples believed. In the last 100 or so years, a growing gang of scientists have studied the mutually beneficial interactions that are believed to benefit every species on earth. Sweet in Tooth and Claw is full of stories of generosity — not competition — in nature. Ohlson’s book is a testament to the importance of a healthy biodiversity, and dispels the widely accepted premise of survival of the fittest. It is a rich and fascinating work full of amazing stories, sure to change your perspective on the natural world. Ohlson will be joined in conversation by Lee van der Voo, author of As the World Burns.

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