Come into the Cathedral of the Earth to worship and to . . . · Find out how "swarm intelligence" is creating smarter phone systems inspired by the creativity and collective wisdom of the common ant. · Discover what happens when a visionary artist travels to Africa to bury the portraits of 23 primates who died in a Philadelphia zoo. · Ponder how cultures as diverse as the Cherokee, Chinese, Egyptians and ancient Hindus identified the night's brightest star with a canine spirit guide. · Explore how meditation practice helps a Buddhist beekeeper fend off a disease that threatens most of the world's honeybees. These true stories and many more will make you laugh, weep and marvel at the amazing creatures who share our planet, from the earthworm to the elephant, all in BLESSINGS OF THE ANIMALS.