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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Human biology & related topics
Break the rules, not the fast with world-renowned biohacker and New York Times bestselling author Dave Asprey.
For more than a decade, the Bulletproof founder Dave Asprey has shared his unique point of view and expertise to help fans become the best versions of themselves. From living longer to getting smarter, maximising performance to practising mindfulness, Dave's followers look to him for his take on the most effective techniques to become healthier and more powerful than most doctors think is possible. Asprey has been fasting for years, long before it gained widespread popularity, and if you're a fan of The Bulletproof Diet, you have been enjoying some of the benefits of Intermittent Fasting too.
In Fast This Way, Dave asks readers to forget everything they think they know about the ancient practice and takes them on a journey through cutting-edge science to examine the ways novice fasters and Intermittent Fasting loyalists can up-end their relationship with food and upgrade their fasting game beyond calorie restriction.
- What IF eating the right foods at the right time can actually enhance your fast?
- What IF how you work out and sleep could trick your body into thinking you are fasting?
- What IF it were easy to skip a meal, or two, or three?
- What IF fasting is different for women, can be personalised to your genes, and can impact your mental health?
- What IF all fasts could be created equal?
Fast This Way is a compelling read through the latest thinking on fasting and gives readers the manual and toolkit to make the most of their fasts and their personal biology.
A new, beautifully illustrated edition of the Number One Bestseller and Sunday Times Science Book of the Year, which takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body.
Now enhanced in this new edition by hundreds of stunning photographs and illustrations, Bryson's book about the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself, is an instant classic. A Sunday Times and international bestseller, it is jam-packed with extraordinary facts, remarkable characters and astonishing stories.
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.
Despite extensive physiological, biochemical, and structural
studies, the mechanisms of muscle contraction operating in living
muscle fibres are still not clearly understood. This book aims to
describe and assess various experimental methods currently used in
the field of muscle research. For
each method discussed, there is a comprehensive description of its
advantages, problems, and limitations. Each chapter also contains a
summary of the central results to have been obtained using each
method. Comprehensively written by experts in their respective
fields, this book will be of interest
to all investigators in muscle physiology.
This book is a pioneering study of the often forgotten Sephardi
voices of the Holocaust. It is an account of the Sephardi Jewish
community of the Greek city of Salonika, which at one point
numbered 80,000 members, but which was almost completely
annihilated during the German occupation of Greece in the Second
World War. Through her systematic series of interviews with the
remnants of this once-flourishing community, the author reawakens
the communal memory and is able to show how individual identities
and memories can be seen to have been shaped by historical
experience. She traces the radical demographic and political
changes Salonika itself has undergone, in particular the ethnic and
religious composition of the citys population, and she interprets
the narratives of the Salonikan Jewish survivors in the context of
this changing landscape of memory and as part of contemporary
Greece. With the vivid power of oral history and ethnography, this
book highlights a significant aspect of t
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.
Rapid advances in high-throughput genome sequencing technologies
foreshadow a near-future in which millions of individuals will gain
affordable access to their complete genome sequence. This promises
to offer unprecedented insights into the fundamental biological
nature of ourselves and our species: where we came from, how we
begin our lives, how we develop and grow, how we interact with our
environment, how we get sick, how we get well, and how we age.
Personal genomics is an essential component of the inevitable
transition towards personalized health and medicine. As the medical
establishment begins to explore and evaluate the role of personal
genomics in health and medicine, both clinicians and patients alike
will gain from becoming well versed in both the power and the
pitfalls of personal genomic information. Furthermore, it is likely
that all students of the biomedical sciences will soon be required
to gain crucial understanding in the emerging field of personal
genomics. Exploring Personal Genomics provides a novel,
inquiry-based approach to the understanding and interpretation of
the practical, medical, physiological, and societal aspects of
personal genomic information. The material is presented in two
parts: the first provides readers of all backgrounds with a
fundamental understanding of the biology of human genomes,
information on how to obtain and understand digital representations
of personal genomic data, tools and techniques for exploring the
personal genomics of ancestry and genealogy, discovery and
interpretation of genetic trait associations, and the role of
personal genomics in drug response. The second part offers more
advanced readers an understanding of the science, tools, and
techniques for investigating interactions between a personal genome
and the environment, connecting DNA to physiology, and assessing
rare variants and structural variation. This book aims to support
undergraduate and graduate studies in medicine, genetics, molecular
biology, and bioinformatics. Additionally, the design of the
content is such that medical practitioners, professionals working
in the biomedical sciences or related fields, and motivated lay
individuals interested in exploring their personal genetic data
should find it relevant and approachable.
Because of their vital role in the emergence of humanity, tools and
their uses have been the focus of considerable worldwide study.
This volume brings together international research on the use of
tools among primates and both prehistoric and modern humans. The
book represents leading work being done by specialists in anatomy,
neurobiology, prehistory, ethnology, and primatology. Whether
composed of stone, wood, or metal, tools are a prolongation of the
arm that acquire precision through direction by the brain. The same
movement, for example, may have been practiced by apes and humans,
but the resulting action varies according to the extended use of
the tool. It is therefore necessary, as the contributors here make
clear, to understand the origin of tools, and also to describe the
techniques involved in their manipulation, and the possible uses of
unknown implements. Comparison of the techniques of chimpanzees
with those of prehistoric and modern peoples has made it possible
to appreciate the common aspects and to identify the differences.
The transmission of ability has also been studied in the various
relevant societies: chimpanzees in their natural habitat and in
captivity, hunter-gatherers, and workmen in prehistoric and in
modern times. In drawing together much valuable research, this work
will be an important and timely resource for social and behavioral
psychologists, anthropologists, paleontologists, and animal
behaviorists.
The Shape of Thought: How Mental Adaptations Evolve presents a road
map for an evolutionary psychology of the twenty-first century. It
brings together theory from biology and cognitive science to show
how the brain can be composed of specialized adaptations, and yet
also an organ of plasticity. Although mental adaptations have
typically been seen as monolithic, hard-wired components frozen in
the evolutionary past, The Shape of Thought presents a new view of
mental adaptations as diverse and variable, with distinct functions
and evolutionary histories that shape how they develop, what
information they use, and what they do with that information. The
book describes how advances in evolutionary developmental biology
can be applied to the brain by focusing on the design of the
developmental systems that build it. Crucially, developmental
systems can be plastic, designed by the process of natural
selection to build adaptive phenotypes using the rich information
available in our social and physical environments. This approach
bridges the long-standing divide between "nativist" approaches to
development, based on innateness, and "empiricist" approaches,
based on learning. It shows how a view of humans as a flexible,
culturally-dependent species is compatible with a complexly
specialized brain, and how the nature of our flexibility can be
better understood by confronting the evolved design of the organ on
which that flexibility depends.
This volume presents state-of-the-art empirical studies working
in a paradigm that has become known as human behavioral ecology.
The emergence of this approach in anthropology was marked by
publication by Aldine in 1979 of an earlier collection of studies
edited by Chagnon and Irons entitled Evolutionary Biology and Human
Social Behavior: An Anthropological Perspective. During the two
decades that have passed since then, this innovative approach has
matured and expanded into new areas that are explored here.
The book opens with an introductory chapter by Chagnon and Irons
tracing the origins of human behavioral ecology and its subsequent
development. Subsequent chapters, written by both younger scholars
and established researchers, cover a wide range of societies and
topics organ-ized into six sections. The first section includes two
chapters that provide historical background on the development of
human behavioral ecology and com-pare it to two complementary
approaches in the study of evolution and human behavior,
evolutionary psychology, and dual inheritance theory. The second
section includes five studies of mating efforts in a variety of
societies from South America and Africa. The third section covers
parenting, with five studies on soci-eties from Africa, Asia, and
North America. The fourth section breaks somewhat with the
tradition in human behavioral ecology by focusing on one
particularly problematic issue, the demographic transition, using
data from Europe, North America, and Asia. The fifth section
includes studies of cooperation and helping behaviors, using data
from societies in Micronesia and South America. The sixth and final
section consists of a single chapter that places the volume in a
broader critical and comparative context.
The contributions to this volume demonstrate, with a high degree
of theoretical and methodological sophistication--the maturity and
freshness of this new paradigm in the study of human behavior. The
volume will be of interest to anthropologists and other professions
working on the study of cross-cultural human behavior.
Why is there a resurgence of racism in contemporary societies? How
do ideas about race and ethnicity serve to construct forms of
social and political identity? These are some of the key questions
addressed in this important book. Drawing on comparative sources,
this study analyses some of the most important aspects of racism
within the context of contemporary social relations, introducing
both students and practitioners to questions of key importance in
the study of racism.
Sentient assembles a menagerie of zoological creatures – from land,
air, sea and all four corners of the globe – to understand what it
means to be human. Through their eyes, ears, skins, tongues and noses,
the furred, finned and feathered reveal how we sense and make sense of
the world, as well as the untold scientific revolution stirring in the
field of human perception.
The harlequin mantis shrimp can throw a punch that can fracture
aquarium walls but, more importantly, it has the ability to see a vast
range of colours. The ears of the great grey owl have such unparalleled
range and sensitivity that they can hear twenty decibels lower than the
human ear. The star-nosed mole barely fills a human hand, seldom
ventures above ground and poses little threat unless you are an
earthworm, but its miraculous nose allows it to catch those worms at
astonishing speed – as little as one hundred and twenty milliseconds.
Here, too, we meet the four-eyed spookfish and its dark vision; the
vampire bat and its remarkable powers of touch; the bloodhound and its
hundreds of millions of scent receptors, as well as the bar-tailed
godwit, the common octopus, giant peacocks, cheetahs and golden
orb-weaving spiders. Each of these extraordinary creatures illustrates
the sensory powers that lie dormant within us.
In this captivating book, Jackie Higgins explores this evolutionary
heritage and, in doing so, enables us to subconsciously engage with the
world in ways we never knew possible.
These handy charts of natural therapies are designed to guide you - while also seeking the advice of a natural therapist - to the right treatment.
This chart is clearly laid out, easy to follow and details the properties of ingredients from herbal medicine, homeopathy and aromatherapy.
A successful Wall Street trader turned neuroscientist reveals how
risk taking and stress transform our body chemistry
Before he became a world-class scientist, John Coates ran a
derivatives trading desk in New York City. He used the expression
"the hour between dog and wolf" to refer to the moment of
Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation traders passed through when under
pressure. They became cocky and irrationally risk-seeking when on a
winning streak, tentative and risk-averse when cowering from
losses. In a series of groundbreaking experiments, Coates
identified a feedback loop between testosterone and success--one
that can cloud men's judgment in high-pressure decision-making.
Coates demonstrates how our bodies produce the fabled gut feelings
we so often rely on, how stress in the workplace can impair our
judgment and even damage our health, and how sports science can
help us toughen our bodies against the ravages of stress. Revealing
the biology behind bubbles and crashes, "The Hour Between Dog and
Wolf "sheds new and surprising light on issues that affect us all.
If you're intrigued by the question "What makes us human?", strap
in for this whirlwind tour of the highlights of anthropology From
the first steps of our prehistoric ancestors, to the development of
complex languages, to the intricacies of religions and cultures
across the world, diverse factors have shaped the human species as
we know it. Anthropology strives to untangle this fascinating web
of history to work out who we were in the past, what that means for
human beings today and who we might be tomorrow. This pocket-sized
introduction includes accessible primers on: Influential
anthropologists such as Franz Boas, Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict
The key branches of anthropology, from physical and linguistic
anthropology to archaeology How anthropologists study topics such
as communication, identity, sex and gender, religion and culture
How we can approach one of life's most enduring questions: what is
it that truly makes us human? This illuminating little book will
introduce you to the key thinkers, themes and theories you need to
know to understand the development of human beings, and how our
history has informed the way we live today. A perfect gift for
anyone taking their first steps into the world of anthropology, as
well as for those who want to brush up their knowledge.
Sometimes history seems like a laundry list of malevolent monarchs,
pompous presidents and dastardly dictators. But are they really the
ones in the driving seat? Sapiens: A Graphic History – The Masters of
History takes us on an immersive and hilarious ride through the human
past to discover the forces that change our world, bring us together,
and – just as often – tear us apart.
Grab a front-row seat to the greatest show on earth and explore the
rise of money, religion and empire. Join our fabulous host Heroda Tush,
as she wonders: which historical superhero will display the power to
make civilisations rise and fall? Will Mr Random prove that luck and
circumstance prevail? Will Lady Empire convince us of the irrefutable
shaping force of conquerors? Or will Clashwoman beat them all to
greatness by reminding us of the endless confrontations that seem to
forever plague our species?
In this next volume of the bestselling graphic series, Yuval Noah
Harari, David Vandermeulen and Daniel Casanave continue to present the
complicated story of humankind with wit, empathy and originality.
Alongside the unlikely cast of new characters, we are rejoined by the
familiar faces of Yuval, Zoe, Professor Saraswati, Bill and Cindy (now
Romans), Skyman and Captain Dollar. As they travel through time, space
and human drama in search of truth, it's impossible not to wonder: why
can’t we all just get along?
This third instalment in the Sapiens: A Graphic History series is an
engaging, insightful, and colourful retelling of the story of humankind
for curious minds of all ages, and can be browsed through on its own or
read in sequence with Volumes One and Two.
William LaFleur (1936-2010), an eminent scholar of Japanese
studies, left behind a substantial number of influential
publications, as well as several unpublished works. The most
significant of these examines debates concerning the practice of
organ transplantation in Japan and the United States, and is
published here for the first time. This provocative book challenges
the North American medical and bioethical consensus that considers
the transplantation of organs from brain dead donors as an
unalloyed good. It joins a growing chorus of voices that question
the assumption that brain death can be equated facilely with death.
It provides a deep investigation of debates in Japan, introducing
numerous Japanese bioethicists whose work has never been treated in
English. It also provides a history of similar debates in the
United States, problematizing the commonly held view that the
American public was quick and eager to accept the redefinition of
death. A work of intellectual and social history, this book also
directly engages with questions that grow ever more relevant as the
technologies we develop to extend life continue to advance. While
the benefits of these technologies are obvious, their costs are
often more difficult to articulate. Calling attention to the risks
associated with our current biotech trajectory, LaFleur stakes out
a highly original position that does not fall neatly onto either
side of contemporary US ideological divides.
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