Quirks of Human Anatomy

With the emergence of the new field of evolutionary developmental biology we are witnessing a renaissance of Darwins insights 150 years after his Origin of Species. Thus far the exciting findings from evo-devo have only been trickling into college courses and into the domain of non-specialists. With its focus on the human organism Quirks of Human Anatomy opens the floodgates by stating the arguments of evo-devo in plain English and by offering a cornucopia of interesting case studies and examples. Its didactic value is enhanced by 24 schematic diagrams that integrate a host of disparate observations by its Socratic question-and-answer format and by its unprecedented compilation of the literature. By framing the hows of development in terms of the whys of evolution it lets readers probe the deepest questions of biology. Readers will find the book not only educational but also enjoyable as it revels in the fun of scientific exploration.