Nature’s art of deception reaches new heights in Dazzled and Deceived. From butterflies and snakes to fish and birds, thousands of species have honed camouflage and mimicry to survive, forage and warn. Peter Forbes explores how “blind” nature developed tricks that both protect and mesmerize.

First uncovered by Henry Walter Bates and Alfred Russel Wallace in the Amazon, mimicry offered early proof of Darwin’s natural selection. Forbes brings this scientific breakthrough to life, charting its journey from the rainforest lab to global recognition.

Beyond biology, mimicry and camouflage shaped art, literature, warfare and medicine. Forbes weaves stories of Picasso’s patterns, Churchill’s strategies and even medical innovations inspired by nature’s tactics.

Key highlights

• Evolutionary discoveries by Bates, Wallace and Darwin
• Connections to art, military tactics and medical research
• Profiles of figures like Roosevelt, Picasso and Nabokov
• A blend of science, history and cultural narrative

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