![]() |
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
|
Your cart is empty |
||
|
Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Human biology & related topics > General
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WELLCOME BOOK PRIZE 2017 Your body is teeming with tens of trillions of microbes. It's an entire world, a colony full of life. In other words, you contain multitudes. These microscopic companions sculpt our organs, protect us from diseases, guide our behaviour, and bombard us with their genes. They also hold the key to understanding all life on earth. In I Contain Multitudes, Ed Yong opens our eyes and invites us to marvel at ourselves and other animals in a new light, less as individuals and more as thriving ecosystems. We learn the invisible and wondrous science behind the corals that construct mighty reefs and the squid that create their own light shows. We see how bacteria can alter our response to cancer-fighting drugs, tune our immune system, influence our evolution, and even modify our genetic make-up. And we meet the scientists who are manipulating these microscopic partners to our advantage. In a million tiny ways, I Contain Multitudes will radically change the way you think about the natural world, and the way you see yourself.
Written primarily for 16-19-year-old students, this primer covers the anatomy and physiology of the key organ systems in the human body. It provides students with an overview of the anatomical details and physiological principles of the organ systems of the body and discusses the pathophysiology of common diseases that can affect them. It also considers how surgical approaches can be used to manage commonly presenting diseases of these systems. In addition, the primer explores surgery and anaesthesia both in a historical and contemporary context, examining how surgical and anaesthetic approaches have advanced over the centuries and how they continue to evolve to make surgery safer and more effective. The primer aims to extend students' knowledge and inspire them to take their school-level learning further. It explores topics that are familiar from the curriculum and also introduces new ideas, giving students a first taste of the study of biology beyond school-level, and demonstrating how concepts frequently encountered at school are relevant to and applied in current research. This is the ideal text to support students who are considering making the transition from studying biology at school to university. Digital formats and resources The book is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats, and is supported by online resources: * The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks * Online resources include multiple choice questions for students to check their understanding, and, for registered adopters, figures and tables from the book
Biology of Aging, Second Edition presents the biological principles that have led to a new understanding of the causes of aging and describes how these basic principles help one to understand the human experience of biological aging, longevity, and age-related disease. Intended for undergraduate biology students, it describes how the rate of biological aging is measured; explores the mechanisms underlying cellular aging; discusses the genetic pathways that affect longevity in various organisms; outlines the normal age-related changes and the functional decline that occurs in physiological systems over the lifespan; and considers the implications of modulating the rate of aging and longevity. The book also includes end-of-chapter discussion questions to help students assess their knowledge of the material. Roger McDonald received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. Dr. McDonald's research focused on mechanisms of cellular aging and the interaction between nutrition and aging. His research addressed two key topics in the field: the relationship between dietary restriction and lifespan, and the effect of aging on circadian rhythms and hypothalamic regulation. You can contact Dr. McDonald at [email protected]. Related Titles Ahmad, S. I., ed. Aging: Exploring a Complex Phenomenon (ISBN 978-1-1381-9697-1) Moody, H. R. & J. Sasser. Gerontology: The Basics (ISBN 978-1-1387-7582-4) Timiras, P. S. Physiological Basis of Aging and Geriatrics (ISBN 978-0-8493-7305-3)
For courses in human biology This package includes MasteringBiology (TM). Explore Human Biology in Relation to Current Issues, in the Text and Online. Through his teaching, his textbook, and his online blog, award-winning teacher Michael D. Johnson sparks interest in human biology by connecting basic biology to real-world issues that are relevant to students' lives. Using a storytelling approach and extensive online support, Human Biology: Concepts and Current Issues Eighth Edition not only demystifies how the human body works but also drives students to become a better, more discerning consumer of health and science information. Each chapter opens with Johnson's popular "Current Issues" essays, and within each chapter, "BlogInFocus" references direct readers to his frequently-updated blog for breaking human biology-related news. This package includes MasteringBiology, an online homework, tutorial, and assessment product proven to improve results by helping students quickly master concepts. Students benefit from opportunities to practice basic science literacy skills, using interactive resources that create engaging learning experiences. Effective activities in MasteringBiology help students further visualize and understand complex biological processes. MasteringBiology should only be purchased when required by an instructor. Please be sure you have the correct ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.
Joseph L. Graves Jr traces the development of biological thought about human genetic diversity. Greek philosophy, social Darwinism, New World colonialism, the eugenics movement, intelligence testing biases and racial health fallacies are just a few of the topics he addresses. Graves argues that racism has persisted in our society because adequate scientific reasoning has not entered into the equation. He cautions us to think critically about scientific findings that have historically been misused in controversies over racial differences in intelligence, criminal behaviour, disease predisposition and other traits. This book aims to demonstrate that America cannot truly address its racial problems until people understand the empirical evidence that proves separate human races do not exist. With the biological basis for race removed, racism becomes an ideology, one that can and must be erased.
Die Bedeutung der Hand liegt gewissermassen auf der Hand: Ohne dieses Wunderwerk an Prazision und Empfindsamkeit, an Kraft und Sanftheit, an Ausdrucksfahigkeit und Steuerbarkeit auszukommen, ware fur die meisten von uns kaum vorstellbar. So selbstverstandlich ist uns ihr Gebrauch und sind uns ihre Fahigkeiten, dass wir selten hinterfragen, wie die Hand eigentlich genau funktioniert und wo uberall in unserer Kultur, unserer Sprache und unserem sozialen Miteinander sie ihre Spuren hinterlassen hat. Das "Hand-Buch" geht diesen Fragen nach. Renommierte Autoren spannen dabei einen Bogen, der von der evolutionaren Entwicklung der Greifhand bis zum technischen Design von Roboterhanden, vom engen Zusammenhang von Hand und Gehirn bis zu den vielfaltigen Verbindungen zwischen Hand und Sprache, von musikalischen Fingerfertigkeiten bis zum Handlesen reicht. Biologie, Medizin und Philosophie reichen sich in diesem Buch die Hande, und die Faszination fur die Hand wird durch das handfeste Wissen, das es vermittelt, nur noch grosser. Zu den Autoren des Bandes zahlen renommierte Wissenschaftler aus verschiedenen natur- und geisteswissenschaftlichen Disziplinen, unter anderem Niels Birbaumer (Tubingen, Biopsychologie), E. Altenmuller (Hannover, Musikphysiologie), Helge Ritter (Bielefeld, Neuroinformatik), Bruno Preilowski (Tubingen, Hemispharenforschung), Friedhart Klix (Berlin, Evolutionspsychologie) und Peter Janich (Marburg, Philosophie)."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE WINNER OF THE 2021 PULITZER PRIZE Your body is teeming with tens of trillions of microbes. It's an entire world, a colony full of life. In other words, you contain multitudes. They sculpt our organs, protect us from diseases, guide our behaviour, and bombard us with their genes. They also hold the key to understanding all life on earth. In I Contain Multitudes, Ed Yong opens our eyes and invites us to marvel at ourselves and other animals in a new light, less as individuals and more as thriving ecosystems. You'll never think about your mind, body or preferences in the same way again. 'Super-interesting... He just keeps imparting one surprising, fascinating insight after the next. I Contain Multitudes is science journalism at its best' Bill Gates SHORTLISTED FOR THE WELLCOME BOOK PRIZE 2017 SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2017
WOMAN explores the essence of what it means to be female. In mapping the inner woman - from organs to orgasms - Natalie Angier presents an extraordinary new vision of the female body as an evolutionary masterpiece. 'Anyone living in or near a female body should read this book' - Gloria Steinem 'Women have long been regarded as slaves to biology and evolution, prisoners in a hormonal swamp. But now, some of the sacred tenets of evolutionary psychology...have come under fresh challenge. As the century turns, it could be Goodbye women's lib; hello female liberation!... WOMAN is a delicious cocktail of estrogen and amphetamine designed to pump up the ovaries as well as the cerebral cortex' - Barbara Ehrenreich, TIME MAGAZINE 'Drawing on science, literature and history, Angier provides valuable insight into the power of hormones, breast milk and the all-important clitoris. A must for every woman's bookshelf' - WOMAN'S JOURNAL
In anaesthetist Dr Kevin Fong's television programmes he has often demonstrated the impact of extremes on the human body by using his own body as a 'guinea pig'. So Dr Fong is well placed to share his experience of the sheer audacity of medical practice at extreme physiological limits, where human life is balanced on a knife edge. Through gripping accounts of extraordinary events and pioneering medicine, Dr Fong explores how our body responds when tested by the extremes of heat and cold, vacuum and altitude, age and disease. He shows how science, technology and medicine have taken what was once lethal in the world and made it survivable. This is not only a book about medicine, but also about exploration in its broadest sense - and about how, by probing the very limits of our biology, we may ultimately return with a better appreciation of how our bodies work, of what life is, and what it means to be human.
Love is a little word with a universe of meanings and has engaged people's interest throughout human history. The need to give and receive love lies deep within human nature. Philosophers, poets, theologians, sociologists, and scientists have all attempted to explain its exact origin, but is it an evolutionary adaptation, or a social construct? Walsh discusses that the nature of and need for love has biological origins. He draws upon Darwin's sexual selection theory to define the perceptions of love by infants through the process of experience-dependent brain wiring. He observes that mother love makes a child capable of loving and that father love makes a child feel worthy of love. He appraises the origin and purpose of romantic love in his discussions on sexual reproduction by looking at chemical and neurological responses to love and the influence of love on one's physical and mental health. With frequent quotes from literary masters like Shakespeare to orient one's scientific and humanistic understanding of love, Walsh goes on to explore various styles of romantic love, including monogamy, promiscuity, bartering love, and betrayed love; the effects of a skewed sex ratio on dating and mating practices; and the age-old quest for a perfect society populated by perfect people obeying the biblical command to "love one another."
Despite wide acceptance that the attributes of living creatures have appeared through a cumulative evolutionary process guided chiefly by natural selection, many human activities have seemed analytically inaccessible through such an approach. Prominent evolutionary biologists, for example, have described morality as contrary to the direction of biological evolution, and moral philosophers rarely regard evolution as relevant to their discussions. "The Biology of Moral Systems" adopts the position that moral questions arise out of conflicts of interest, and that moral systems are ways of using confluences of interest at lower levels of social organization to deal with conflicts of interest at higher levels. Moral systems are described as systems of indirect reciprocity: humans gain and lose socially and reproductively not only by direct transactions, but also by the reputations they gain from the everyday flow of social interactions. The author develops a general theory of human interests, using senescence and effort theory from biology, to help analyze the patterning of human lifetimes. He argues that the ultimate interests of humans are reproductive, and that the concept of morality has arisen within groups because of its contribution to unity in the context, ultimately, of success in intergroup competition. He contends that morality is not easily relatable to universals, and he carries this argument into a discussion of what he calls the greatest of all moral problems, the nuclear arms race. "Crammed with sage observations on moral dilemmas and many reasons why an understanding of evolution based on natural selection will advance thinking in finding practical solutions to our most difficult social problems." u "Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences" "Richard D. Alexander" is Donald Ward Tinkle Professor of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biology, and Curator of Insects, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. A recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Alexander is the author of "Darwinism and Human Affairs."
For the one-term course in human evolution, paleoanthropology, or fossil hominins taught at the junior/senior level in departments of anthropology or biology. This new edition provides a comprehensive overview to the field of paleoanthropology-the study of human evolution by analyzing fossil remains. It includes the latest fossil finds, attempts to place humans into the context of geological and biological change on the planet, and presents current controversies in an even-handed manner.
Recent empirical and philosophical research into the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, the origins of the mind/brain, and the development of human culture has sparked heated debates about what it means to be human and how knowledge about humans from the sciences and humanities should be understood. Conversations on Human Nature, featuring 20 interviews with leading scholars in biology, psychology, anthropology, philosophy, and theology, brings these debates to life for teachers, students, and general readers. The book-outlines the basic scientific, philosophical and theological issues involved in understanding human nature;-organizes material from the various disciplines under four broad headings: (1) evolution, brains and human nature; (2) biocultural human nature; (3) persons, minds and human nature, (4) religion, theology and human nature; -concludes with Fuentes and Visala's discussion of what researchers into human nature agree on, what they disagree on, and what we need to learn to resolve those differences.
First published in 1990, this is a compilation of several important papers that have contributed to the foundation of population genetics, evolutionary biology and human genetics. The collection includes Haldane's first paper in genetics, which was published in 1915, reporting the first case of linkage in a mammal, and - fifty years later, in 1965 - his last paper in genetics on selection for a single pair of allelomorphs with complete replacement. Haldane's Rule, the only idea named after him, was published in 1922 and is still valid today. Other papers, which include many Haldane firsts, such as the first estimation of a human mutation rate, first human gene map, first papers in population genetics, first estimate of the probability of fixation of a new mutation, and first measurement of mutation impact on a population, leading to the "genetic load" concept, are included. The volume also includes a paper presenting an ancient logical system for interpreting scientific results.
The newly revised and thoroughly updated standard source for mastering the human fossil record. This new edition of The Human Lineage is the best and most current guide to the morphological, geological, paleontological, and archeological evidence for the story of human evolution. This comprehensive textbook presents the history, methods, and issues of paleoanthropology through detailed analyses of the major fossils of interest to practicing scientists in the field. It will help both advanced students and practicing professionals to become involved with the lively scholarly debates that mark the field of human-origins research. Its clear and engaging chapters contain concise explanatory text and hundreds of high-quality illustrations. This thoroughly revised second edition reflects the most recent fossil discoveries and scientific analyses, offering new sections on the locomotor adaptations of Miocene hominoids, the taxonomic distinctiveness of Homo heidelbergensis, the Burtele foot, Ardipithecus, and Neandertal genomics. Updated and expanded chapters offer fresh insights on topics such as the origins of bipedality and the anatomy and evolution of early mammals and primates. Written and illustrated by established leaders in the field, The Human Lineage Provides the background needed to study human evolution, including dating techniques, mechanics of evolution, and primate adaptations Covers the major stages in human evolution with emphasis on important fossils and their implications Offers a balanced critical assessment of conflicting ideas about key events in human evolution Includes an extensive bibliography and appendices on biological nomenclature and craniometrics Covering the entire story of human evolution from its Precambrian beginnings to the emergence of modern humanity, The Human Lineage is indispensable reading for all advanced students of biological anthropology.
The purpose of this book is to present a new mechanistic theory of mutation-driven evolution based on recent advances in genomics and evolutionary developmental biology. The theory asserts, perhaps somewhat controversially, that the driving force behind evolution is mutation, with natural selection being of only secondary importance. The word 'mutation' is used to describe any kind of change in DNA such as nucleotide substitution, gene duplication/deletion, chromosomal change, and genome duplication. A brief history of the principal evolutionary theories (Darwinism, mutationism, neo-Darwinism, and neo-mutationism) that preceded the theory of mutation-driven evolution is also presented in the context of the last 150 years of research. However, the core of the book is concerned with recent studies of genomics and the molecular basis of phenotypic evolution, and their relevance to mutation-driven evolution. In contrast to neo-Darwinism, mutation-driven evolution is capable of explaining real examples of evolution such as the evolution of olfactory receptors, sex-determination in animals, and the general scheme of hybrid sterility. In this sense the theory proposed is more realistic than its predecessors, and gives a more logical explanation of various evolutionary events. Mutation-Driven Evolution is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers (both empiricists and theoreticians) in the fields of molecular evolution and population genetics. It assumes that the readers are acquainted with basic knowledge of genetics and molecular biology.
In this book, Ljiljana Progovac proposes a gradualist, adaptationist approach to the evolution of syntax, subject to natural selection. She provides a specific framework for its study, combining the fields of evolutionary biology, theoretical syntax, typology, neuroscience, and genetics. The author pursues an internal reconstruction of the stages of grammar based on the syntactic theory associated with Chomskyan Minimalism and arrives at specific, testable hypotheses, which are then corroborated by an abundance of theoretically analysed 'living fossils' drawn from a variety of languages. Her approach demonstrates that these fossil structures do not just coexist alongside more modern structures, but are in fact built into the very foundation of more complex structures, leading to quirks and complexities that are suggestive of a gradualist evolutionary scenario. By reconstructing a particular path along which syntax evolved, Evolutionary Syntax sheds light on the crucial properties of language design itself, as well as on the major parameters of crosslinguistic variation. As a result, this reconstruction can be meaningfully correlated with both the hominin timeline and the ever-growing body of genetic evidence that is available.
From the animal world to the forces that make things go, young minds have big questions about how the world works. The answers to these questions wait in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Unlock the world around you with STEM and Me.
The scientific study of networks - computer, social, and biological - has received an enormous amount of interest in recent years. However, the network approach has been applied to the field of animal behaviour relatively late compared to many other biological disciplines. Understanding social network structure is of great importance for biologists since the structural characteristics of any network will affect its constituent members and influence a range of diverse behaviours. These include finding and choosing a sexual partner, developing and maintaining cooperative relationships, and engaging in foraging and anti-predator behavior. This novel text provides an overview of the insights that network analysis has provided into major biological processes, and how it has enhanced our understanding of the social organisation of several important taxonomic groups. It brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines with the aim of providing both an overview of the power of the network approach for understanding patterns and process in animal populations, as well as outlining how current methodological constraints and challenges can be overcome. Animal Social Networks is principally aimed at graduate level students and researchers in the fields of ecology, zoology, animal behaviour, and evolutionary biology but will also be of interest to social scientists.
The scientific study of networks - computer, social, and biological - has received an enormous amount of interest in recent years. However, the network approach has been applied to the field of animal behaviour relatively late compared to many other biological disciplines. Understanding social network structure is of great importance for biologists since the structural characteristics of any network will affect its constituent members and influence a range of diverse behaviours. These include finding and choosing a sexual partner, developing and maintaining cooperative relationships, and engaging in foraging and anti-predator behavior. This novel text provides an overview of the insights that network analysis has provided into major biological processes, and how it has enhanced our understanding of the social organisation of several important taxonomic groups. It brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines with the aim of providing both an overview of the power of the network approach for understanding patterns and process in animal populations, as well as outlining how current methodological constraints and challenges can be overcome. Animal Social Networks is principally aimed at graduate level students and researchers in the fields of ecology, zoology, animal behaviour, and evolutionary biology but will also be of interest to social scientists.
The Thrive in Bioscience revision guides are written to help students achieve exam success in all core areas of bioscience. Each title encourages the reader to follow four steps to maximise their learning, with features to support this process. Step one: Review the facts The revision guides are designed to help learning be quick and effective: * Information is set out in bullet points, making it easy to digest * Clear, uncluttered illustrations illuminate what is said in the text * Key concept panels summarise the essential learning points Step two: Check your understanding Readers are encouraged to: * Complete the questions at the end of chapters and online multiple-choice questions to reinforce their learning * Use the flashcard app to master the essential terms and phrases Step three: Take note of extra advice Revision tips, and hints for getting those precious extra marks in exams, are presented throughout. Step four: Go the extra mile Readers can explore the suggestions for further reading to take their understanding one step further. Each title in the series is tailored to maximise understanding and achievement, to ensure that the reader really can thrive in their studies. They are the perfect course companions for any bioscience degree. Each title in the series is accompanied by the following digital resources: A flashcard glossary app, enabling the user to test their understanding of key terminology; A bank of interactive MCQs, giving users a hands-on way to check they have fully understood the concepts presented.
Biomedical Scientists are the foundation of modern healthcare, from cancer screening to diagnosing HIV, from blood transfusion for surgery to food poisoning and infection control. Without Biomedical Scientists, the diagnosis of disease, the evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment, and research into the causes and cures of disease would not be possible. The Fundamentals of Biomedical Science series has been written to reflect the challenges of practicing Biomedical Science today. It draws together essential basic science with insights into laboratory practice to show how an understanding of the biology of disease is coupled to the analytical approaches that lead to diagnosis. Assuming only a minimum of prior knowledge, the series reviews the full range of disciplines to which a Biomedical Scientist may be exposed - from microbiology to cytopathology to transfusion science. Haematology provides a broad-ranging overview of the study of blood, the dynamic fluid that interfaces with all organs and tissues to meditate essential transport and regulatory functions. Written with the needs of the Biomedical Scientist centre-stage, it provides a firm grounding in the physiology of blood, and the key pathophysiological states that can arise. It demonstrates throughout how an understanding of physiology underpins the key investigations carried out by a Biomedical Scientist to forge a clear link between science and practice. The third edition has been thoroughly revised to remain up to date with the latest scientific research, with new sections and case studies added to support your learning. The online resources to accompany Haematology have also been updated and include multiple choice questions to test understanding, a Journal Club which provides discussion questions for relevant research papers, and answers to case study and self-check questions. Students and lecturers will also have access to the FBMS series online resources, which feature video interviews with practicing biomedical scientists and 'in the lab' footage showing biomedical techniques. Also available as an ebook with functionality, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support.
Origins of Language: A Slim Guide offers a concise and accessible overview of what is known about the evolution of the human capacity for language. Non-human animals communicate in simple ways: they may be able to form simple concepts, to feel some limited empathy for others, to cooperate to some extent, and to engage in mind-reading. Human language, however, is characterized by its ability to efficiently express a wide range of subtle and complex meanings. After the first simple beginnings, human language underwent an explosion of complexity, leading to the very complicated systems of grammar and pronunciation found in modern languages. Jim Hurford looks at the very varied aspects of this evolution, covering human prehistory; the relation between instinct and learning; biology and culture; trust, altruism, and cooperation; animal thought; human and non-human vocal anatomy; the meanings and forms of the first words; and the growth of complex systems of grammar and pronunciation. Written by an internationally recognized expert in the field, it draws on a number of disciplines besides linguistics, including philosophy, neuroscience, genetics, and animal behaviour, and will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in language origins and evolution.
An all-in-one illustrated guide to human anatomy with encyclopedic coverage from bones and muscles to systems and processes. This in-depth manual to the human body's physical structure, chemical workings, and potential problems is a must-have reference to help further your studies or knowledge of how our bodies work. Each page of The Human Body Book, updated to reflect the latest medical advances, is illustrated with colourful and comprehensive diagrams, which are thoroughly annotated to take you right into the cells and fibres that are responsible for keeping the human body ticking. The opening chapter, Integrated Body, explains how the parts of the body work together at various levels of size and hierarchy to produce the living whole. It also contains an overview of the major body systems, enlivened by real-life 3D medical scans of the entire body. The chapters that follow provide coverage of the body function by function, system by system. Eleven main body systems are covered in turn, with each section ending on common injuries, diseases, and disorders afflicting that system. The book concludes with a chapter on Growth and Development which looks in detail at how the body changes over the course of a human lifespan. |
You may like...
Personology - From Individual To…
C. Moore, H. Viljoen, …
Paperback
(5)
|