Quirks of human anatomy : an evo-devo look at the human body

With the emergence of the new field of evolutionary developmental biology we are witnessing a renaissance of Darwin's insights 150 years after his On the 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 educational and enjoyable, as it revels in the fun of scientific exploration.

With the emergence of the new field of evolutionary developmental biology we are witnessing a renaissance of Darwin’s 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.

Background -- Symmetry And Asymmetry -- Mysteries Of The Midline -- Merism And Modularity -- Sexual Dimorphisms -- Silly, Stupid, And Dangerous Quirks -- Mind And Brain -- Appendix : Quirks Of Human Behavior. Lewis I. Held, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 153-238) And Index. Content: Background -- Symmetry and asymmetry -- Mysteries of the midline -- Merism and modularity -- Sexual dimorphisms -- Silly, stupid, and dangerous quirks -- Mind and brain -- Appendix : quirks of human behavior. Introduces students to basic concepts in evolutionary developmental biology, for undergraduate and graduate courses