The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease
- ISBN-10
- 0307907414
- ISBN-13
- 9780307907417
- Category
- Science
- Pages
- 480
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2013-10-01
- Publisher
- Vintage
- Author
- Daniel Lieberman
Description
In this landmark book of popular science, Daniel E. Lieberman—chair of the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and a leader in the field—gives us a lucid and engaging account of how the human body evolved over millions of years, even as it shows how the increasing disparity between the jumble of adaptations in our Stone Age bodies and advancements in the modern world is occasioning this paradox: greater longevity but increased chronic disease. The Story of the Human Body brilliantly illuminates as never before the major transformations that contributed key adaptations to the body: the rise of bipedalism; the shift to a non-fruit-based diet; the advent of hunting and gathering, leading to our superlative endurance athleticism; the development of a very large brain; and the incipience of cultural proficiencies. Lieberman also elucidates how cultural evolution differs from biological evolution, and how our bodies were further transformed during the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. While these ongoing changes have brought about many benefits, they have also created conditions to which our bodies are not entirely adapted, Lieberman argues, resulting in the growing incidence of obesity and new but avoidable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Lieberman proposes that many of these chronic illnesses persist and in some cases are intensifying because of “dysevolution,” a pernicious dynamic whereby only the symptoms rather than the causes of these maladies are treated. And finally—provocatively—he advocates the use of evolutionary information to help nudge, push, and sometimes even compel us to create a more salubrious environment. (With charts and line drawings throughout.)
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2013-10-03
- 480 pages
- Paperback
- Penguin UK
Similar books
-
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeThis new edition introduces more problem-solving strategies and new conceptual and challenge problems. Also, each Chapter Review has been enhanced with Learning Goals to reinforce the mastery of concepts for students.
-
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
By Karen TimberlakeThis laboratory manual contains 42 experiments for the standard sequence of topics in general, organic, and biological chemistry.
-
Basic Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeThe book guides students through basic chemistry problem solving with engaging visuals and a focus on developing the math skills necessary to be successful in the course.
-
General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry: Structures of Life, eBook, Global Edition
By Karen C. TimberlakeThe full text downloaded to your computer With eBooks you can: search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either ...
-
Basic Chemistry
By Karen C. Timberlake, William E. TimberlakeBasic Chemistry
-
Basic Chemistry, Books a la Carte Edition
By Karen C. TimberlakeBasic Chemistry, Books a la Carte Edition
-
Essential Laboratory Manual for General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeEssential Laboratory Manual for General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
-
Basic Chemistry, Global Edition
By Karen C. Timberlake, Bill TimberlakeThe main objective in writing this text is to make the study of chemistry an engaging and a positive experience for students by relating the structure and behaviour of matter to real life.
-
General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry: An Integrated Approach
By Karen C. Timberlake, Laura D. Frost, Todd S. DealThe eText pages look exactly like the printed text, and include powerful interactive and customization functions. This is the product access code card for MasteringChemistry with Pearson eText and does not include the actual bound book.
-
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeHealth, Environmental, and Green Chemistry Notes throughout the text relate chemistry chapters to real-life topics in health, the environment, and medicine that are interesting and motivating to students.