The author takes readers on an adventure through the human body, winding along the body's various systems and functions such as muscles, nerves, bones and joints, and blood and guts.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A must-read owner’s manual for every body. Take a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body in this “delightful, anecdote-propelled read” (The Boston Globe) from the author of A Short History of Nearly Everything. With a new Afterword. “You will marvel at the brilliance and vast weirdness of your design." —The Washington Post Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body—how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Brysonesque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding of the miracle that is life in general and you in particular. As Bill Bryson writes, “We pass our existence within this wobble of flesh and yet take it almost entirely for granted.” The Body will cure that indifference with generous doses of wondrous, compulsively readable facts and information. As addictive as it is comprehensive, this is Bryson at his very best.
Discover how the nervous system works, the intricate construction of skeleton and muscles, and how your body protects itself when you are under threat. Put yourself under the microscope using the interactive DVD-Rom. Zoom in on a body part and see the bodies processes in action from a nerve impluse to blood surging through an artery. Journey inside and examine what can go wrong with the human machine: explore the causes and symptoms for diseases and ailments.
In this comprehensive and entertaining resource, David Macaulay reveals the inner workings of the human body as only he could. In order to present this complicated subject in an accurate and entertaining way, he put in years of research. He sat in on anatomy classes, dissections, and even reached inside the rib cages of two cadavers to compare their spleen sizes. He observed numerous surgeries, including a ten-hour procedure where a diseased pancreas was removed, as well as one where a worn-out old knee was replaced by a brand new one. This hands-on investigation gives Macaulay a unique perspective to lead his readers on a visual journey through the workings of the human body. The seven sections within the book take us from the cells that form our foundation to the individual systems they build. Each beautifully illustrated spread details different aspects of our complex structure, explaining the function of each and offering up-close glimpses, unique cross-sections and perspectives, and even a little humor along the way. This one-of-a-kind book can serve as a reference for children, families, teachers, and anyone who has questions about how his or her body works. When readers see how David Macaulay builds a body and explains the way it works, they will come away with a new appreciation of the amazing world inside them.
Intricate details of all aspects of the human body down to the smallest detail - from our cells and DNA, to the largest bone in our bodies, the femur. 3D generated illustrations and medical imaging provide a close look at the body's forms and functions in physiology and anatomy, showing how the body works and its amazing systems and abilities. To understand our modern human bodies, this book first looks at our ancestors and how the evolution of Homo Sapiens shaped our anatomy. This gave us the ability to walk tall, create language, and make tools with our incredibly adapted apposable thumbs. Learn how we can see evolution in our DNA, and the functions of DNA. Read about the things you can only see with microscopes and other special imaging machines, like cell structure, motor pathways in the brain, and the inner iris. All these many parts work together to make the human body. The physiology of our body is written in clarifying detail. Learn about the organs and systems that operate within, such as the cardiovascular, digestive, and neural systems. See our elegant anatomy and read how the skeleton, muscles, and ligaments operate to allow movement. This second addition has included more detail on the joints in the hands and feet. The Complete Human Body takes you from infancy to old age showing how our body grows and changes, and what can go wrong. 2nd Edition: Enhanced and Updated This visual guide uses remarkable illustrations and diagrams to let you peek inside our complex and astounding bodies. It has been written in an easy-to-follow format, with straightforward explanations to give you the best overview of the many things that make us human. Suitable for young students who want an extra resource for school, people working in medical fields, or for anyone with a keen interest in human biology. Inside the body of the book: - The Integrated Body - Anatomy - How the Body Works - Life Cycles - Diseases and Disorders