The Science of Life: From Cells to SurvivalAllen & Unwin, 1998 - 292 pages Looking at everything from the smallest molecule to the human species, this book explains how all living organisms interact with each other and the environment. It discusses biology in broad terms, from greens and genes to breastfeeding, war, and the social and domestic implications of biology. |
Contents
3 | |
12 | |
29 | |
BODIES | 97 |
ENVIRONMENTS | 124 |
Species Living Together | 147 |
Social Lives | 174 |
A STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE? | 193 |
THE HUMAN SPECIES | 213 |
Humanity in Nature | 237 |
A Classification of Organisms With | 253 |
Glossary | 268 |
Further Reading | 283 |
Common terms and phrases
acids Africa amino acids animals apes auxins bacteria become bees behaviour biology biosphere birds blood body bonobo brain breeding cancer carbon dioxide centimetres century chapter chimpanzees chromosomes colour complex cyanobacteria Darwin depend diet diploid disease early effects embryo environment environmental ethology European evolution evolutionary example extinct female fertilised fish flowering plants flowers forests fossil gametes gatherer hunters genes genetics glands grow growth haploid Hence Homo hormones human important infection interactions J.B.S. Haldane kinds large numbers later learning living things malaria male mammals ment metres microorganisms microscope millimetre million modern molecules muscles mutation natural selection Neanderthals nitrogen nucleus numbers organisms ovum pairs parents person plants population predators present produce protein reader regions result sexual similar skin social soil sometimes species substances sugar survival tion tissues Today traits trees usually variation vertebrates women yeasts young
Popular passages
Page 147 - And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.
Page 195 - When we reflect on this struggle, we may console ourselves with the full belief, that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply.
Page 237 - Thou shalt not eat of it ; cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life ; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken ; for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return.
Page 198 - You care for nothing but shooting, dogs, and rat-catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family.
Page 109 - OATS [a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people], — Croker.
Page 137 - The Camel's hump is an ugly lump Which well you may see at the Zoo; But uglier yet is the hump we get From having too little to do. Kiddies and grown-ups too-oo-oo, If we haven't enough to do-oo-oo, We get the hump— Cameelious hump— The hump that is black and blue! We climb out of bed with a frouzly head And a snarly-yarly voice. We shiver and scowl and we grunt and we growl At our bath and our boots and our toys...
Page 277 - We are surrounded with things which we have not made and which have a life and structure different from our own: trees, flowers, grasses, rivers, hills, clouds. For centuries they have inspired us with curiosity and awe. They have been objects of delight. We have recreated them in our imaginations to reflect our moods. And we have come to think of them as contributing to an idea which we have called nature.
Page 237 - Then when I die she will not take me to her bosom to rest. "You ask me to dig for stone! Shall I dig under her skin for her bones? Then when I die I cannot enter her body to be born again. "You ask me to cut grass and make hay and sell it, and be rich like white men! But how dare I cut off my mother's...
Page 12 - Here hills and vales, the woodland and the plain, Here earth and water, seem to strive again ; Not chaos-like together crushed and bruised, But as the world harmoniously confused: Where order in variety we see, And where, though all things differ, all agree.
Page 134 - Before you go" said the black girl "tell me whether you believe in God." "God is an unnecessary and discarded hypothesis" said the myop. "The universe is only a gigantic system of reflexes produced by shocks. If I give you a clip on the knee you will wag your ankle." "I will also give you a clip with my knobkerry; so dont do it" said the black girl. "For scientific purposes it is necessary to inhibit such secondary and apparently irrelevant reflexes by tying the subject down" said the professor....