Underbug An Obsessive Tale of Termites and Technology

"Turns cutting-edge science into rich narrative by plunging deep into the termite's world [...] Margonelli's masterly book is a timely, thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human, as much as what it means to be termite, and a penetrating look at the moral challenges of our ongoing technological revolution."
– The New York Times

"[...] one of the finest writers and most original thinkers we have. A surprising, swirling, fantastically unpredictable, thought-provoking, funny, and (depending on your species) delicious book."
– Mary Roach, author of Grunt and Gulp

:In a unique voice that's wry, inventive, and acrobatic, Margonelli takes us on a termite-guided exploration of subterranean tracts of nature, science, and robotics. The book is brimming with flair. Prepare to find yourself absorbed."
– Peter Godfrey-Smith, author of Other Minds

"A revealing exploration of one of the most inscrutable insects ever to dominate our planet."
– Jonathan Balcombe, author of What a Fish Knows

"Unlikely but fascinating [...] [this] far-ranging work touches on the nature of individuality, the use of drones by the military, the applicability of concepts of good and evil to science, and the creation of biofuels created using the termite gut, among other topics. Margonelli brings all of this to light by making complex, cutting-edge science understandable to the general reader, while also conveying the excitement, frustration, and plain drudgery inherent in the scientific endeavor [...] Margonelli has written a book as entertaining as it is informative."
– Publishers Weekly