This edition provides increased coverage of taste and smell, circadian rhythms, brain development, and developmental disorders and includes new information on molecular mechanisms and functional brain imaging. Path of Discovery boxes, written by leading researchers, highlight major current discoveries. In addition, readers will be able to assess their knowledge of neuroanatomy with the Illustrated Guide to Human Neuroanatomy, which includes a perforated self-testing workbook.This edition's robust ancillary package includes a bound-in student CD-ROM, an Instructor's Resource CD-ROM, and resources online.

    Yet only now, with the publication of Voyaging, the first of two volumes that will constitute the definitive biography, do we have a truly vivid and comprehensive picture of Darwin as man and as scientist. Drawing upon much new material, supported by an unmatched acquaintance with both the intellectual setting and the voluminous sources, Janet Browne has at last been able to unravel the central enigma of Darwin's career: how did this amiable young gentleman, born into a prosperous provincial English family, grow into a thinker capable of challenging the most basic principles of religion and science? The dramatic story of Voyaging takes us from agonizing personal challenges to the exhilaration of discovery; we see a young, inquisitive Darwin gradually mature, shaping, refining, and finally setting forth the ideas that would at last fall upon the world like a thunderclap in The Origin of Species.

    In 1971, at age twenty-five, Galdikas left the placid world of American academia for the remote jungles of Indonesian Borneo. Living with her husband in a primitive camp, she became surrogate mother to a "family" of ex-captive orangutans - and gradually adjusted to the blood-sucking leeches, swarms of carnivorous insects, and constant humidity that rotted her belongings in the first year. Her first son spent the early years of his life at Camp Leakey with adopted orangutans as his only playmates. The wild orangutans Galdikas studied and the ex-captives she rehabilitated became an extended family of characters no less vivid than her human companions. Throatpouch, a huge and irritable grouch, fought off rivals for the right to claim adolescent Priscilla as his mate. Handsome Cara at first tried to rid the forest of its human intruder by hurling dead branches at Galdikas from the canopy above. Little Sugito, rescued from a cramped cage and returned to the jungle claimed Galdikas as his mother and clung to her fiercely, night and day, for months. A groundbreaking chronicler of the orangutans' life cycle, Galdikas also describes the threats that increasingly menace them: the battles with poachers and loggers, the illicit trade in infant orangutans, the frustrations of official bureaucracy. Her story is a rare combination of personal epiphany, crucial scientific discovery, and international impact - a life of human and environmental challenge. Reflections of Eden is the third act of a drama that has captivated the world: the story of a pioneering primatologist, a world leader in conservation, and a remarkable woman.

    The authors move deftly across a dazzling array of topics—from the dynamics of the bacterial realm, to the connection between sex and death, to theories of spirit and matter. They delve into the origins of life, offering the startling suggestion that life—not just human life—is free to act and has played an unexpectedly large part in its own evolution. Transcending the various formal concepts of life, this captivating book offers a unique overview of life’s history, essences, and future.Supplementing the text are stunning illustrations that range from the smallest known organism (Mycoplasma bacteria) to the largest (the biosphere itself). Creatures both strange and familiar enhance the pages of What Is Life? Their existence prompts readers to reconsider preconceptions not only about life but also about their own part in it.

    With black and white illustrations. "Here is a new collection of Gould's unexpected connections between evolution and all manner of subjects, literature high among them. Gathered from his monthly column in "Natural History" magazine, these articles should delight, surprise, and inform his vast readership, as have his six prior volumes of essays. Somehow the light bulb pops on every month as his deadline approaches, some glowing fact pulled out of memory--often a line from Shakespeare or Tennyson--that illumines a generality Gould wishes to discuss. "Nature, red in tooth and claw" (Lord Alfred's line) induces dilations on the extent science can inform moral matters (not much, Gould believes); a remembrance of the infamous Wansee protocol prompts Gould's denunciation of the genocidal looting of evolutionary theory and, by extension, its vulnerability to ignoramuses in general. These two examples of the Gouldian essay method, fortunately, don't foreshadow a gloomy parade of topics: Gould can as easily alight at the fun house where mass culture absorbs ideas about evolution through movies of monsters run amok from Frankenstein to Jurassic Park. In other essays, he plunges directly into matters of evolutionary interpretation but customarily employs a literary twist: who else but Gould could link Edgar Allan Poe with his own area of professional eminence, the paleontology of snails? A discovery awaits in every essay--in every haystack--which solidifies Gould as one of the most eloquent science popularizers writing today."--"Booklist"

    Sea Change is at once the gripping adventure story of Earle's three decades of undersea exploration and an urgent plea for the preservation of the world's fragile and rapidly deterioating ocean ecosystems.

    But according to naturalist Candace Savage, “bird brain,” as a pejorative expression, should be rendered obsolete by new research on the family of corvids: crows and their close relations.The ancients who regarded these remarkable birds as oracles, bringers of wisdom, or agents of vengeance were on the right track, for corvids appear to have powers of abstraction, memory, and creativity that put them on a par with many mammals, even higher primates. Bird Brains presents these bright, brassy, and surprisingly colorful birds in a remarkable collection of full-color, close-up photographs by some two dozen of the world’s best wildlife photographers.Savage’s lively, authoritative text describes the life and behavior of sixteen representative corvid species that inhabit North America and Europe. Drawing on recent research, she describes birds that recognize each other as individuals, call one another by “name,” remember and relocate thousands of hidden food caches, engage in true teamwork and purposeful play, and generally exhibit an extraordinary degree of sophistication.

    It is based on extensive research into the scientific literature and lore of this superbly adapted predator, on analysis of historical records, and on the most up-to-date information. The book is illustrated with 238 photographs and drawings, 116 in color.

    Dennett, whom Chet Raymo of The Boston Globe calls "one of the most provocative thinkers on the planet," focuses his unerringly logical mind on the theory of natural selection, showing how Darwin's great idea transforms and illuminates our traditional view of humanity's place in the universe. Dennett vividly describes the theory itself and then extends Darwin's vision with impeccable arguments to their often surprising conclusions, challenging the views of some of the most famous scientists of our day.

    She delivers a rapturous celebration of other species that is also a warning to our own. Traveling from the Amazon rain forest to a forbidding island off the coast of Japan, enduring everything from broken ribs to a beating by an irate seal, Ackerman reveals her subjects in all their splendid particularity. She shows us how they feed, mate, and migrate. She eavesdrops on their class and courtship dances. She pays tribute to the men and women hwo have deoted their lives to saving them.

    These transitions include the origin of life itself, the first eukaryotic cells, reproduction by sexual means, the appearance ofmulticellular plants and animals, the emergence of cooperation and of animal societies, and the unique language ability of humans. This ambitious book provides the first unified discussion of the full range of these transitions. The authors highlight the similarities between differenttransitions--between the union of replicating molecules to form chromosomes and of cells to form multicellular organisms, for example--and show how understanding one transition sheds light on others. They trace a common theme throughout the history of evolution: after a major transition someentities lose the ability to replicate independently, becoming able to reproduce only as part of a larger whole. The authors investigate this pattern and why selection between entities at a lower level does not disrupt selection at more complex levels. Their explanation encompasses a compellingtheory of the evolution of cooperation at all levels of complexity. Engagingly written and filled with numerous illustrations, this book can be read with enjoyment by anyone with an undergraduate training in biology. It is ideal for advanced discussion groups on evolution and includes accessiblediscussions of a wide range of topics, from molecular biology and linguistics to insect societies.

    Over 620 species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, ferns, mosses and lichens are illustrated and described, covering the northern forest from Alaska to Minnesota.

    Full color.

    They were probably the first animal species to become domesticated, but their relationship with humans has always been ambivalent. Dogs form strong attachments to humans, even in the face of rejection and punishment, voluntarily allying themselves to us as faithful companions, uncomplaining child-substitutes, enduring workers, and excellent hunters and guards. Yet they are also reviled as vicious killers, unclean scavengers and outcasts. In this book, the many facets of dog behavior are set in the context of the dog's place in our society. Based on firm scientific research, the book dispells many myths and stereotypes about our canine friends, and it will be the definitive reference work on dog behavior for many years to come. Dog-lovers with an interest in understanding how and why dogs behave as they do will find this fascinating reading.

    Each chapter contains speci c reviews followed by practice tips. Contributions come from leading academics, physicians, and sports dieticians in Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Finland."

    In this first anthology of its kind, Carey chooses accounts by scientists themselves--astronomers and physicists, biologists, chemists, psychologists--that are both arrestingly written and clear. Contributors include Carl Sagan, Charles Darwin, Stephen Jay Gould, Oliver Sacks, Lewis Thomas, Rachel Carson, Sigmund Freud, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and scores of others.

    It is intended to demystify ecological models and the mathematics behind them by deriving the models from first principles. The Primer explains in detail basic concepts of exponential and logistic population growth, age-structured demography, metapopulation dynamics, competition, predation, island biogeography, and, in a chapter new to this edition, succession. The book may be used as a self-teaching tutorial by students, as a primary textbook, or as a supplemental text to a general ecology textbook.

    Today we can see a recreation of the making of the Laetoli footprints at the American Museum of Natural History, in a stunning diorama which depicts two of our human forebears walking side by side through a snowy landscape of volcanic ash. But how do we know what these three-million-year-old relatives looked like? How have we reconstructed the eons-long journey from our first ancient steps to where we stand today? In short, how do we know what we think we know about human evolution? In The Fossil Trail, Ian Tattersall, the head of the Anthropology Department at the American Museum of Natural History, takes us on a sweeping tour of the study of human evolution, offering a colorful history of fossil discoveries and a revealing insider's look at how these finds have been interpreted--and misinterpreted--through time. All the major figures and discoveries are here. We meet Lamarck and Cuvier and Darwin (we learn that Darwin's theory of evolution, though a bombshell, was very congenial to a Victorian ethos of progress), right up to modern theorists such as Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould. Tattersall describes Dubois's work in Java, the many discoveries in South Africa by pioneers such as Raymond Dart and Robert Broom, Louis and Mary Leakey's work at Olduvai Gorge, Don Johanson's famous discovery of Lucy (a 3.4 million-year-old female hominid, some 40% complete), and the more recent discovery of the Turkana Boy, even more complete than Lucy, and remarkably similar to modern human skeletons. He discusses the many techniques available to analyze finds, from fluorine analysis (developed in the 1950s, it exposed Piltdown as a hoax) and radiocarbon dating to such modern techniques as electron spin resonance and the analysis of human mitochondrial DNA. He gives us a succinct picture of what we presently think our family tree looks like, with at least three genera and perhaps a dozen species through time (though he warns that this greatly underestimates the actual diversity of hominids over the past two million or so years). And he paints a vivid, insider's portrait of paleoanthropology, the dogged work in the broiling sun, searching for a tooth, or a fractured corner of bone, amid stone litter and shadows, with no guarantee of ever finding anything. And perhaps most important, Tattersall looks at all these great researchers and discoveries within the context of their social and scientific milleu, to reveal the insidious ways that the received wisdom can shape how we interpret fossil findings, that what we expect to find colors our understanding of what we do find. Refreshingly opinionated and vividly narrated, The Fossil Trail is the only book available to general readers that offers a full history of our study of human evolution. A fascinating story with intriguing turns along the way, this well-illustrated volume is essential reading for anyone curious about our human origins.

    It is packed with answers to naturalists' questions and with questions—some of them answered—that naturalists may not even have thought of.

    Our children, says writer and conservationist Charles E. Little, probably won't. The forests are declining. The trees are dying. Little shows how logging in the Northwest is far from the whole story, how virtually everywhere in this country our trees are mortally afflicted - even before they are cut. From the "sugarbush" of Vermont and the dogwoods of Maryland's Catoctin mountains to the forests of the "hollows" in Applachia, the oaks and aspens of northern Michigan, and the mountainsides and deserts of the West, a whole range of human-caused maladies - from fatal ozone, ultraviolet rays, and acid rain to the disastrous aftermath of clear-cutting - has brought tree death and forest decline in its wake. In his journeys to America's forests and woodlands, Little exhaustively explores this phenomenon with scientists, government officials, and citizen leaders and recounts how they have responded (and in many cases failed to respond) to this threat to global ecological balance.

    Strickberger (Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, U. of California) presents topics including the philosophical and historical background of evolutionary

    The 36 articles present a truly global perspective on the theory and practice of today's ethnobotany.

    This landmark book, which argues that our genes betray the secret of a single racial stock shared by all of modern humanity, has set off one of the most bitter debates in contemporary science. "We emerged out of Africa," the authors cont, "less than 100,000 years ago and replaced all other human populations." Employing persuasive fossil and genetic evidence (the proof is in the blood, not just the bones) and an exceptionally readable style, Stringer and McKie challenge long-held beliefs that suggest we evolved separately as different races with genetic roots reaching back two million years.

    This book introduces undergraduate students to the fundamentals of biology in mental processes.

    Coauthored by his son, Francesco, the book answers age-old questions such as: Was there a mitochondrial Eve? Did the first humans originate in Africa or in several spots on the planet at about the same time? How did humans get onto North America, the tip of South America, and Australia?

    A unique blend of basic biomechanics and practical physical therapeutic techniques that relieve pain and improve performance in the horse.

    With Dark Nature, world naturalist Lyall Watson presents a scientific examination of evil. Drawing on the latest insights of genetics, evolutionary ethology, anthropology and psychology, he takes the discussion of evil out of the realm of monsters and demons to reveal it for what it truly is: A biological reality that may be terrifying but can be controlled. Groundbreaking, fascinating and eminently readable, Dark Nature is a vital and timely antidote to modern despair.

    This book also discusses the origins, discovery, study and conservation of the lemur population. Includes a pocket identification guide.

    The photographs are outstanding.... The brief text compresses many details into a few sentences, The vocabulary is scholarly...and charts combined with the text give a clear overview of the subject[s]. -- RQ

    Edited by the 1991 winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, this Second Edition includes new chapters covering such applications as capacitance measurements; single-cell PCR measurements; whole-cell recording from brain slices in combination with imaging techniques; atomic force microscopy of cells and membranes attached to glass pipettes; and patch clamping.

    More than 900 color photographs and descriptive text identify Arizona's unique flora, including wildflowers, cacti, trees, and other plant life.

    This chapter from "River Out of Eden" argues that the only purpose of life is the survival of DNA; understand this, and all the inefficiency, unfairness and cruelty in the world makes sense.

    It draws on many years of classroom teaching, laboratory experience, and field observation by the authors. Robert Stebbins and Nathan Cohen lead readers on a fascinating odyssey as they explore some of nature's most interesting creatures, interspersing their own observations throughout the book. A Natural History of Amphibians can serve as a textbook for students and independent learners, as an overview of the field for professional scientists and land managers, and as an engaging introduction for general readers.The class Amphibia contains more than 4,500 known living species. New species are being discovered so rapidly that the number may grow to more than 5,000 during our lifetimes. However, their numbers are being rapidly decimated around the globe, largely due to the encroachment of humans on amphibian habitats and from growing human-caused environmental pollution, discussed at length in the final chapter. The authors focus our attention on the "natural history" of amphibians worldwide and emphasize their interactions with their environments over time: where they live; how they reproduce; how they have been affected by evolutionary processes; what factors will determine their destinies over time. Through the experienced eyes of the authors, who are skilled observers, we come to see and understand the place of amphibians in the natural world around us.

    Essential topics such as administering local anesthesia and the spread of dental infection are addressed in detail. With 300 high-quality illustrations and a vivid, two-color format, this outstanding, in-depth book enhances the reader's understanding of anatomical parts and focal points for injection sites that are essential to the dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental assisting fields. Identification exercises, review questions, NEW case studies, and detailed, step-by-step procedures including NEW step-by-step procedures for intraoral and extraoral examinations reinforce information and facilitate thinking skills that readers will rely on as a strong basis for future study and practice.Over 300 exceptional line drawings and photographs illustrate important concepts in the book. More review questions in a multiple-choice format similar to the national exam provide a thorough review and help readers evaluate their understanding of material so they can focus on improving areas of weakness.Chapter Outlines enable readers to determine at a glance which topics will be covered in each chapter.Key Words teach readers the correct pronunciations and definitions of new words introduced in the chapter.Objectives highlight important points that readers should understand after they have studied the chapter.Tables present concise information on common topics to make learning easier.A glossary helps readers learn and remember the definitions of new terms throughout the book.Revised, up-to-date coverage of local anesthesia and the spread of dental infection addresses these important topics that are not covered in other head and neck anatomy text. Case studies designed to mimic the case studies presented on the national exam encourage students to apply scientific information from text to real-life situations, helping them to develop critical thinking skills as well as prepare for the exam.An expanded section of identification exercises, consisting of unlabeled figures from text, helps readers properly identify and memorize muscles, bones, and other structures. Step-by-step procedures for intraoral and extraoral examinations, help student learn and perfect these two critical skills in practice.Expanded discussions and additional illustrations on the central nervous system in Chapter 8 offers more detail on this essential subject.

    Ryland first published Marine Fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe, it became an instant classic in the marine reference literature. Now with Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe, the same editors offer a concise, practical guide to over 1,500 species from the major marine phyla--from sponges to fish--in a format that is ideal for field use. With its simple dichotomous keys, individual descriptions, profusion of illustrations, and extensive reference section, the book allows for rapid and easy identification of all but the rarest marine animals found on the sea shores and shallow sublittoral zones of the region. Students, researchers, and amateurs interested in zoology, marine biology, and ecology will all want to own a copy of this unique field guide.

    Using the most current information available, the author explores new understandings of the chemistry and mechanisms of mushroom poisons, as well as the history and sociology of mushrooms, different cultural attitudes towards mushrooms and health benefits of selected species.

    Yet from folktales to fieldnotes, the image of army ants has too often magnified their aggression and ignored their magnificent capacity for social cooperation. A veteran of thirty years of research on army ants in Africa, Malaysia, Australia, Mexico, and Trinidad, William H. Gotwald, Jr., offers the first comprehensive account of their behavioral ecology and evolution.

    They pressure abnormal people to change their appearance, fix what bothers others, or stay out of sight -- a pressure Leslie Fiedler has named "The Tyranny of the Normal". This anthology examines the experiences of those who live outside social norms for attractiveness, size, and shape; it also explores the reactions of "normal" people to those who seem grotesque.

    To distinguish this pathogen from viruses and viroids, the term "prion" was introduced to emphasize its proteinaceous and infectious nature.Stanley B. Prusiner, editor of this volume, was awarded the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his pioneering discovery of prions. The book reviews advances in studies of prions, which - as considereable evidence indicates - are novel pathogens composed only of protein.

    Sex, Cells, and Same-Sex Desire describes, reviews, and questions recent biological research on sexual preference from the point of view of knowledgeable scientists and of scholars in the social sciences and humanities representing the emerging field of gay studies. The issues involved have a vibrant history, are wide-ranging, and remain the objects of much controversy. This book demystifies biological research on sexual preference and makes it accessible to readers unfamiliar with biological and medical research.Sex, Cells, and Same-Sex Desire is divided into several sections, each of which is introduced by an explanation of key concepts and terms found in that section. The book begins with a discussion of the history of biological theories and sociocultural concepts of gender and sexuality. The next 3 sections explore specialized areas of biological science and related issues: genetics and evaluation, hormones and the endocrine system, and brain physiology and structure. A final section discusses social stigma, science, and medicine. A glossary of terms used by the authors is included, so readers may look up those that may be unfamiliar.

    Part I discusses general principles (such as pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism), and parts II to VI presents various classes of drugs (such as autonomics, drugs that affect cardiovascular system, and chemotherapeutic agents).

    A newly revised and updated edition of this authoritative guide-including almost 200 athletic and exercise injuries, 75 of the common illnesses that often affect athletes, and an illustrated section on rehabilitation.

    Marine Biology aims to heighten students' inherent fascination with the ocean and marine life and describes in aneasily understandable manner the biological principles which govern marine biological systems. It introduces the rich diversity of the marine environment by focusing on three major themes: 1) function, the way organisms solve problems and the chemical and physical factors affecting these solutions;2) biodiversity, an overview of the various life forms in the ocean; and 3) ecology, the interaction of organisms with their environment. Designed for undergraduate courses at the sophomore to senior level, the book is designed to help students approach a great variety of material. Supplemented by suggestions for further reading, a glossary of important terms, text boxes highlighting significant equations and concepts, reviewquestions at the end of each chapter, and an abundance of illustrative examples and visual material, this text is a fascinating introduction to marine biology which is both accessible to and captivating for students of marine biology, marine ecology, and marine science.

    Featuring glorious color photos and maps throughout, this new edition of the Smithonian Guide to Natural America covers the parks, wilderness preserves, nature sanctuaries and scenic wonders to be found in Arizona and New Mexico.

    Author David Badger includes fascinating frog lore from across the centuries and describes everything from the physical traits and reproduction habits of frogs and toads to territorial behavior and life span.

    Appropriate for courses taught in philosophy departments, bioethics programs, as well as schools of medicine and nursing, the collection covers such provocative topics as biomedical enhancement, clinical trials in developing countries, animal research, physician-assisted suicide, and health care reform. The text's effective pedagogical features include chapter introductions, argument sketches, explanations of medical terms, headnotes, and annotated bibliographies.

    Details from cell structure and genetics, to immunology and pathogenicity, to taxonomy and phylogeny are covered. Also, based on recent taxonomic advances in RNA analysis, a new organization also makes this the first text to be divided by the three cell domains--Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes.

    They also reveal the details of the initial human experiments in gene transfer and the agonizing decisions faced by the families of the first children to be submitted to the therapy.As Daniel Kevles observed in the New York Times Book Review, "Mr. Lyon and Mr. Gorner are highly knowledgeable about the state of human and medical genetics, and their treatment of both the science and its practitioners is vivid, accessible, and . . . gripping."

    It integrates theory, practice and applications and assumes no prior experience on the part of student and instructor. In addition, the book contains laboratory flow charts summarizing each protocol.

    Throughout the text, emphasis is placed on function as well as on the cellular mechanisms of individual neurons. Using this approach the author gives us an understanding of the complex systems that make up the brain and their interactions. This throroughly revised and updated edition features extended use of supplementary notes and increased coverage of aspects of molecular and celluar neurobiology relevant to the subject matter. A major innovation is the inclusion of a complimentary NeuroLab for Windows disc that can be used to try out the experiments and demonstrations in the book through interactive exercises. Neurophysiology is essential reading for pre-clinical medical students and students of physiology, zoology, neuroscience, neurology, and psychiatry.

    Drawing extensively on the evidence provided by human remains, texts, statuary, and other works of art, Joyce Filer describes some of the health problems suffered by king and commoner alike. She examines the case of individuals such as Seneb, an achondroplastic dwarf who achieved high status as a court official during the Old Kingdom, or the young child whose crippling bone disease was revealed by its mummified remains. Dental disease, chest complaints, and parasitic infection from the waters of the Nile were a common part of Egyptian daily life. Set against the background of the ancient Egyptian environment, the author produces a detailed picture of diet and domestic arrangements and of both good and bad health. From the predynastic to the early Christian period, the effects of ill health and the constant threat of infectious disease on the life of the individual is assessed in the wider context of Egyptian society.

    Kolmogorov's first attempt to predict the properties of flow, this textbook presents a modern account of turbulence, one of the greatest challenges in physics. "Fully developed turbulence" is ubiquitous in both cosmic and natural environments, in engineering applications and in everyday life. Elementary presentations of dynamical systems ideas, probabilistic methods (including the theory of large deviations) and fractal geometry make this a self-contained textbook. This is the first book on turbulence to use modern ideas from chaos and symmetry breaking. The book will appeal to first-year graduate students in mathematics, physics, astrophysics, geosciences and engineering, as well as professional scientists and engineers.

    This comprehensive volume provides a pragmatic, habitat-by-habitat guide to conservation management, in which the prescriptions and methods are based on sound science coupled with practical experience. For each habitat, the book guides the reader through the options and solutions, highlights potential problems, and gives good and bad examples of habitat management in the past. This will be required reading for all practicing ecologists, land managers, wardens, landscape architects and conservationists, and will provide a valuable reference for students of ecology, conservation and environmental science.

    Designed as much more than a manual on skeletal analysis, this book is as concerned with the foundations for the morphologies that osteologists typically study as with the analysis of the morphologies themselves. This book includes much more basic morphology than other osteology texts, and it also places emphasis on understanding the development of adult morphology, from the cellular levels of bone and tooth formation to the theoretical aspects of the determination of size and shape of these structures. Another area of concentration deals with how sexual difference, normal variation, and certain pathological conditions can be better understood in a developmental context. Because of this integrated presentation, particular information (for example, on variation in facet or foramen number, abnormalities in bone growth and regulation, sexually dimorphic features, and supernumerary structures) is included in the descriptions and discussions of individual bones and regions so that a fuller perspective of our own species, Homo sapiens, can be achieved. In addition to offering practical aspects of analysis--such as determining age or sex, or taking measurements for the calculation of various indices--the author intersperses the text with theoretical discussions of the relevance of pursuing osteological analyses. Most importantly, whether in discussing the morphology and development of individual bones, the criteria often employed in the determination of age, sex, and populational affinity, or the differential diagnosis of diseases, Skeleton Keys accomplishes much more than providing background information. Useful and accessible for students and researchers in physical, biological, medical, and methods anthropology, forensic pathology, and archaeology, Skeleton Keys presents osteology as a vibrant field with a plethora of research avenues waiting to be pursued, thereby encouraging readers to imagine and aspire to future possibilities in research and stu

    Enables the reader to see cardio-pulmonary-renal physiology as well as immunology and other areas as a clear conceptual whole.

    This book is one of a series covering animals, minerals and other natural phenomena from around the world.

    Rather than speculating about the mental abilities of fossil hominids, on the basis of modern human psychology, the author explores earlier phases of evolution, with the more solid and testable evidence of human ancestry that is still alive: modern primates and other animals.