Best of
Biology

1985

The Flamingo's Smile: Reflections in Natural History


Stephen Jay Gould - 1985
    . . . [He] is a leading theorist on large-scale patterns in evolution . . . [and] one of the sharpest and most humane thinkers in the sciences." --David Quammen, New York Times Book Review

The Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life


Robert O. Becker - 1985
    Becker, M.D., a pioneer in the field of bioelectric science, presents a fascinating look at the role electricity plays in healing, challenging the traditional mechanistic model of the body. Colorful and controversial, this is a tale of engrossing research, scientific and medical politics, and breakthrough discoveries that offer new possibilities for fighting disease and harnessing the body's healing powers.

The Queen Must Die and Other Affairs of Bees and Men


William Longgood - 1985
    "An engaging collection of observations about honeybees and their activities."—Publishers Weekly

Clinically Oriented Anatomy


Keith L. Moore - 1985
    This book is renowned for its comprehensive coverage of anatomy, presented as it relates to the practice of medicine, dentistry, and physical therapy. This latest edition is fully updated with new content and additional features, including new surface anatomy and updated diagnostic images, new "Bottom Line" summaries that reinforce important concepts, and new clinical "Blue" boxes.Two bound-in CD-ROMs contain interactive case studies, USMLE-style review questions, and layered, rotatable anatomical illustrations generated from three-dimensional models of MRI images.

Natural Acts: A Sidelong View of Science and Nature


David Quammen - 1985
    In an upbeat and original way of thinking Quammen writes about beetles, bats, crows, snakes and other interesting animals.

The Dialectical Biologist


Richard Levins - 1985
    Whether they realize it or not, scientists always choose sides. The Dialectical Biologist explores this political nature of scientific inquiry, advancing its argument within the framework of Marxist dialectic. These essays stress the concepts of continual change and codetermination between organism and environment, part and whole, structure and process, science and politics. Throughout, this book questions our accepted definitions and biases, showing the self-reflective nature of scientific activity within society.

Identification of Pathological Conditions in Human Skeletal Remains


Donald J. Ortner - 1985
    There is much that ancient skeletal remains can reveal to the modern orthopaedist, pathologist, forensic anthropologist, and radiologist about the skeletal manifestations of diseases that are rarely encountered in modern medical practice. Beautifully illustrated with over 1,100 photographs and drawings, this book provides essential text and materials on bone pathology, which will improve the diagnostic ability of those interested in human dry bone pathology. It also provides time depth to our understanding of the effect of disease on past human populations.

A Guide to the Birds of Colombia


Steven L. Hilty - 1985
    Over half of all the species of birds in South America are included, thus making the book useful in regions adjacent to Colombia, as well as in the country itself. The primary purpose of the work is to enable observers to identify the birds of the region, but it also provides detailed species accounts and will serve as an important handbook and reference volume. Fifty-six lavish color plates, thirteen halftone plates, and ninety-nine line drawings in the text illustrate over 85% of the species, including most of the resident birds. Notes on the facing-page of each place, and range maps of 1,475 species, facilitate identification.Written with the field observer in mind, the text gives special attention to comparisons of similar species, transcriptions of voices, and comments on behavior, status, and habitat. It also provides ranges, breeding data, and references. Notes outline taxonomic problems and briefly describe species that eventually may be found in Colombia. Introductory chapters and photographs highlight Colombia's geography, climate, and vegetation, and discuss migration and conservation questions, and the history of Colombian ornithology. Appendices contain a large bibliography, a section on birding locations, and coverage of two of Colombia's far-flung island territories, Isla San Andr�s and Providencia. Maps depicting vegetation zones, political boundaries, national parks, and the most text localities are included.

Social Evolution


Robert Trivers - 1985
    Book by Trivers, Robert

Dr. Axelrod's Atlas of Fresh-Water Aquarium Fishes


Herbert R. Axelrod - 1985
    The book contains full color photos of warmwater as well as coldwater, popular as well as rare, domestic as well as foreign aquarium fishes, and also includes valuable information on maintenance in captivity -- including feeding and spawning.

Wetlands (Audubon Society Nature Guides)


William A. Niering - 1985
    A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color photographs, to the trees, wildflowers, fishes, insects, birds, and other natural wonders of North America's rivers, lakes, and swamps.

Anticipatory Systems: Philosophical, Mathematical, And Methodological Foundations


Robert Rosen - 1985
    

On Becoming a Biologist


John Janovy Jr. - 1985
    “A belief in that common bond might, in fact, be the most fundamental characteristic of a biologist.” And biologists see the worth of a plant or an animal not in monetary terms but in its contribution to our understanding of life. The famous naturalist brings a humanist’s vision to this superbly written book. On Becoming a Biologist is grounded in reality, cognizant of practical matters (education and jobs) as well as the ideals that inform the profession—a reverence for life and a responsibility to humankind and its future. Janovy draws on his experiences as a graduate and postdoctoral student, on his rewarding relationships with teachers, and on his fieldwork as a naturalist. This edition includes new information throughout the book regarding pertinent events, issues, and changes in technology.

The Human Biological Machine as a Transformational Apparatus


E.J. Gold - 1985
    Can anything really be done, in an evolutionary sense, that would unlock our full transformational potential and raise us above the futility to which we are presently condemned? This book could provide the answers.

A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo


Junaidi Payne - 1985
    

The Meaning of Fossils: Episodes in the History of Palaeontology


Martin J.S. Rudwick - 1985
    And this is exactly what Rudwick's book should do for many paleontologists' view of the history of their own field."—Stephen J. Gould, Paleobotany and Palynology"Rudwick has not merely written the first book-length history of palaeontology in the English language; he has written a very intelligent one. . . . His accounts of sources are rounded and organic: he treats the structure of arguments as Cuvier handled fossil bones."—Roy S. Porter, History of Science

Deserts (Audubon Society Nature Guides)


James Macmahon - 1985
    A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color photographs, to the wildflowers, insects, birds, reptiles and other natural wonders of North America's deserts, from Oregon to Mexico.

Vaulting Ambition: Sociobiology and the Quest for Human Nature


Philip Kitcher - 1985
    It raises the "sociobiology debate" to a new level, moving beyond arguments about the politics of the various parties involved, the degree to which sociobiology assumes genetic determinism, or the falsifiability of the general theory. Sociobiology has made a great deal of noise in the popular intellectual culture. Vaulting Ambition cuts through the charges and counter-charges to take a hard look at the claims and analyses offered by the sociobiologists. It examines what the claims mean, how they relate to standard evolutionary theory, how the biological models are supposed to work, and what is wrong with the headline-grabbing proclamations of human sociobiology. In particular, it refutes the notions that humans are trapped by their evolutionary biology and history in endlessly repeating patterns of aggression, xenophobia, and deceitfulness, or that the inequities of sex, race, and class are genetically based or culturally determined. And it takes up issues of human altruism, freedom, and ethics as well.Kitcher weighs the evidence for sociobiology, for human sociobiology, and for "the pop sociobiological view" of human nature that has engendered the controversy. He concludes that in the field of nonhuman animal studies, rigorous and methodologically sound work about the social lives of insects, birds, and mammals has been done. But in applying the theories to human beings-where even more exacting standards of evidence are called for because of the potential social disaster inherent in adopting a working hypothesis as a basis for public policy - many of the same scientists become wildly speculative, building grand conclusions from what Kitcher shows to be shoddy analysis and flimsy argument. While it may be possible to develop a genuine science of human behavior based on evolutionary biology, genetics, cognition, and culture, Kitcher points out that the sociobiology that has been loudly advertised in the popular and intellectual press is not it. Pop sociobiology has in fact been felled by its overambitious and overreaching creators.

Ever Since Darwin/The Panda's Thumb/Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes (Reflections in Natural History 1-3)


Stephen Jay Gould - 1985
    These books contain reprints of his essays on natural history.

Culture and the Evolutionary Process


Robert Boyd - 1985
    Using methods developed by population biologists, they propose a theory of cultural evolution that is an original and fair-minded alternative to the sociobiology debate.

Honeybee Ecology: A Study of Adaptation in Social Life


Thomas D. Seeley - 1985
    These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Biology of Amphibians


William E. Duellman - 1985
    Copiously illustrated with original drawings and photographs and meticulously referenced with more than 2,500 bibliographic entries, it has proved indispensable to professional biologists and students alike. Now reissued in paperback with an updated preface by the authors, Biology of Amphibians remains the standard work in its field.

Practical Flow Cytometry


Howard M. Shapiro - 1985
    The standard reference for anyone interested in understanding flow cytometry technology. American Journal of Clinical Oncology ...one of the most valuable of its genre and...addressed to a wide audience?written in such an attractive way, being both informative and stimulating. Trends in Cell Biology This reference explains the science and discusses the vast biomedical applications of quantitative analytical cytology using laser-activated detection and cell sorting. Now in its fourth edition, this text has been expanded to provide full coverage of the broad spectrum of applications in molecular biology and biotechnology today. New to this edition are chapters on automated analysis of array technologies, compensation, high-speed sorting, reporter molecules, and multiplex and apoptosis assays, along with fully updated and revised references and a list of suppliers.

Illustrated Dictionary of Biology


Corinne Stockley - 1985
    It also makes a perfect study guide.