Overview
From basic biology and the lymphatic system to human growth and development, this comprehensive reference—organized by systems of the body—makes the sometimes perplexing nature of anatomy understandable through an engaging question-and-answer format. In addition to the science itself, the people and history behind anatomy are discussed. More than 1,200 questions are answered, including Do identical twins have the same fingerprints? What are the primary sensations of taste? What is the integumentary system? and How many bones are in the human body?
Synopsis
From basic biology and the lymphatic system to human growth and development, this comprehensive reference—organized by systems of the body—makes the sometimes perplexing nature of anatomy understandable through an engaging question-and-answer format. In addition to the science itself, the people and history behind anatomy are discussed. More than 1,200 questions are answered, including Do identical twins have the same fingerprints? What are the primary sensations of taste? What is the integumentary system? and How many bones are in the human body?
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
This engaging book will help readers understand the language of anatomy, which includes both physiology and pathology. The best part is the way the information is presented. This is a great reference book.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"The general reader will find many interesting and perhaps entertaining anatomical details. The high-school student may discover information useful for an assignment. . . . For the Internet-savvy and impatient student accustomed to learning via FAQs—frequently asked questions—this book's format may be just right." —Booklist
"For curious browsers and a good quick-answer source for teens' questions. Students interested in careers in health or medicine will pore over this book with the avidity their younger siblings devote to books about dinosaurs." —School Library Journal
"This book can provide an excellent way to read and self-test for health and human biology classes. Adults wanting to know more about the subjects covered will also find a wealth of useful and accessible information." —VOYA
"This engaging book will help readers understand the language of anatomy, which includes both physiology and pathology. The best part is the way the information is presented. This is a great reference book." —National Science Teachers Association, recommended book
"The information is concise, clearly written, and easy to understand. Photographs and illustrations supplement the information and are in color with captions and identifying labels." —American Reference Books Annual
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
This engaging book will help readers understand the language of anatomy, which includes both physiology and pathology. The best part is the way the information is presented. This is a great reference book.American Reference Books Annual
The information is concise, clearly written, and easy to understand. Photographs and illustrations supplement the information and are in color with captions and identifying labels.Booklist
The general reader will find many interesting and perhaps entertaining anatomical details. The high-school student may discover information useful for an assignment... For the Internet-savvy and impatient student accustomed to learning via FAQs-frequently asked questions—this book's format may be just right.Children's Literature -
Quick, how many tonsils do humans have? How often do people have an extra rib? What is an ecorche? These and hundreds of fascinating, engaging facts are included in this book. When I thought about reviewing this book, I had a little dread, thinking it would be a dry, factual book. Instead, I could not put it down. It is the book I would have loved to have when I was in 8th grade. (Yes, I was a biology nerd then, too.) It is a book I would have students read if I were teaching human anatomy. It is a book that should be found in school libraries and life science classrooms. This handbook of answers is organized according to human systems. It starts with a readable and comprehensive background of basic biology and anatomy history. Each chapter is filled with questions and answers. I am no expert, but I know a great deal on this subject, and I did not find one error. The pictures relate to the topics, from skin cancer to goiters. The illustrations are superb and enhance understanding. Other features I really enjoyed included the addition of the origins of the words and discussions of the people involved in human anatomy discoveries. You can learn why twins or even clones will not have the same finger prints and learn about the people who tried to rid themselves of their fingerprints. You can learn and understand how the immune system works and how it goes amuck. So, if you want to find out how many nephrons are in a human kidney, how much flatulence is produced daily, or the main causes of nonviral hepatitis, you will find the answers in this book. Reviewer: RevaBeth RussellVOYA -
Latest in a series that began with The Handy Science Answer Book (Visible Ink Press, 1997), this anatomy and physiology fact book is organized like the detailed outline of a biology text. An introductory section on history, discovery, structural organization, and terminology is followed by numerous entries on human body systems, presented in the form of questions and answers. The first section covers basic biology, followed by sections on the integumentary system (skin), skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, sensory system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, and so on. Specific questions are asked and then answered. There is some trivia-"Do identical twins have identical fingerprints?"-and a great deal of pure science-"How does blood transport oxygen?"; "How many muscles are in the human body?"; "How many mitochondria are there in a cell?"; and "What are the symptoms and signs of HIV?" There are more than a thousand questions and answers in this highly organized text, supplemented by detailed colored anatomical pictures and illustrative charts. Highly achieving students often organize their study by writing up their own course outlines. For everyone else, this book can provide an excellent way to read and self-test for health and human biology classes. Adults wanting to know more about the subjects covered will also find a wealth of useful and accessible information. The index is a very helpful way to locate specific information, as is the table of contents. Reviewer: Rayna PattonSchool Library Journal
Adult/High School
Thirteen chapters cover the body's various systems (circulatory, digestive, endocrine, nervous, etc.) and are preceded by a chapter on basic biology and followed by one on human growth and development. Each section consists of a series of questions and answers organized in a logical fashion, one flowing into the next and progressing from basic to more detailed. The answers are both simple and clear, and scientific and medical terms are succinctly defined when they first appear. The illustrations, drawn from a variety of sources, supplement the text. The format makes this an appealing title for curious browsers and a good quick-answer source for teens' questions about how their bodies work. Students interested in careers in health or medicine will pore over this book with the avidity their younger siblings devote to books about dinosaurs.-Sandy Schmitz, Berkeley Public Library, CA