What would it take to thrive here anyway? That’s the question this book has left me asking myself.

I just finished reading Super Natural by Alex Riley recently published with Atlantic Books. It resonated with me more deeply than I expected. Not just as a science reader, but as someone who works in innovation and design.

Riley explores how life survives and even thrives in places that seem utterly uninhabitable: boiling volcanic vents, frozen Antarctic lakes, radioactive wastelands. What struck me was how these lifeforms aren’t surviving despite the harsh conditions, they’re perfectly adapted because of them.

As someone who spends time thinking about constraints, whether in the brutal business of retail, or in product design, or in systems thinking, this idea hit home:

That limitations aren’t always barriers. Sometimes, they’re catalysts. They force adaptation, spark innovation, and drive life (and us) to evolve.

Reading this reminded me that some of our most inspired work happens when we embrace the “impossible” and ask: What would it take to thrive here anyway?

If you’re fascinated by the natural world or just need a jolt of perspective on resilience, adaptability, and unconventional thinking, I’d like to recommend this book.