The Seeds of Life : From Aristotle to Da Vinci, From Sharks' Teeth to Frogs' Pants, the Long and Strange Quest to Discover Where Babies Come From

**Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes** Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery. __The Seeds of Life__ is the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from. Taking a page from investigative thrillers, acclaimed science writer Edward Dolnick looks to these early scientists as if they were detectives hot on the trail of a bedeviling and urgent mystery. These strange searchers included an Italian surgeon using shark teeth to prove that female reproductive organs were not 'failed' male genitalia, and a Catholic priest who designed ingenious miniature pants to prove that frogs required semen to fertilize their eggs.A witty and rousing history of science, __The Seeds of Life__ presents our greatest scientists struggling-against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices-to uncover how and where we come from. Why Cracking The Code Of Human Conception Took Centuries Of Wild Theories, Misogynist Blunders, And Ludicrous Mistakes. Throughout Most Of Human History, Babies Were Surprises. People Knew The Basics: Men And Women Had Sex, And Sometimes Babies Followed. But Beyond That The Origins Of Life Were A Colossal Mystery. The Seeds Of Life Is The Remarkable And Rollicking Story Of How A Series Of Blundering Geniuses And Brilliant Amateurs Struggled For Two Centuries To Discover Where, Exactly, Babies Come From. Taking A Page From Investigative Thrillers, Acclaimed Science Writer Edward Dolnick Looks To These Early Scientists As If They Were Detectives Hot On The Trail Of A Bedeviling And Urgent Mystery. These Strange Searchers Included An Italian Surgeon Using Shark Teeth To Prove That Female Reproductive Organs Were Not 'failed' Male Genitalia, And A Catholic Priest Who Designed Ingenious Miniature Pants To Prove That Frogs Required Semen To Fertilize Their Eggs. A Witty And Rousing History Of Science, The Seeds Of Life Presents Our Greatest Scientists Struggling-against Their Perceptions, Their Religious Beliefs, And Their Deep-seated Prejudices-to Uncover How And Where We Come From-- Prologue: England In The Early 1630s -- Part One: Peering Into The Body. Onward To Glory ; Hidden In Deep Night ; Swallowing Stones And Drinking Dew ; Unmoored In Time ; Double, Double Toil And Trouble ; Door A Or Door B? -- Part Two: The Search For The Egg. Missing: One Universe (reward To Finder) ; Sharks' Teeth And Cows' Eggs ; The Egg, At Last ; A World In A Drop Of Water ; Animals Of The Semen -- Part Three: Russian Dolls. Dolls Within Dolls ; The Message In God's Fine Print ; Sea Of Troubles ; The Rabbit Woman Of Godliman ; All In Pieces, All Coherence Gone ; The Cathedral That Built Itself ; A Vase In Silhouette -- Part Four: The Clockwork Topples And A New Theory Rises. Frogs In Silk Pants ; A Drop Of Venom ; The Craze Of The Century ; I Saw The Dull Yellow Eye Of The Creature Open ; The Nose Of The Sphinx ; The Game Is Afoot ; Caught! Edward Dolnick. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 267-296) And Index. "By the end of the seventeenth century, explorers had circled the globe and mapped the heavens. Scientists had calculated the weight of the Earth, traced the paths of comets, and divined the secrets of the Milky Way. But at the dawn of the modern age, the deeper scientific riddle of all lay unsolved: Where do babies come from? Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that, the origins of life were a colossal mystery--a mystery that would take centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and mistakes to solve. The author investigates the early scientists who sought answers. The author's investigation careens from theaters of anatomy, where spectators gawked at dissected bodies; to princes' private museums; to a seaside laboratory in Naples, Italy where a researcher peered into his microscope and first witnessed the union of sperm and egg. The author also introduces a Danish physician who began by studying sharks' teeth and ended by finding the secret of human eggs. Another researcher, who was a Catholic priest, outfitted male frogs in tiny boxer shorts to prove that semen had to touch eggs to fertilize them. This book presents our greatest scientists struggling--against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices--to uncover the deepest mysteries of life"--Book cover "Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes. Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery. The Seeds of Life is the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from. Taking a page from investigative thrillers, acclaimed science writer Edward Dolnick looks to these early scientists as if they were detectives hot on the trail of a bedeviling and urgent mystery. These strange searchers included an Italian surgeon using shark teeth to prove that female reproductive organs were not 'failed' male genitalia, and a Catholic priest who designed ingenious miniature pants to prove that frogs required semen to fertilize their eggs. A witty and rousing history of science, The Seeds of Life presents our greatest scientists struggling-against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices-to uncover how and where we come from"-- Provided by publisher "Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes. Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery. The Seeds of Life is the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from. Taking a page from investigative thrillers, acclaimed science writer Edward Dolnick looks to these early scientists as if they were detectives hot on the trail of a bedeviling and urgent mystery. These strange searchers included an Italian surgeon using shark teeth to prove that female reproductive organs were not 'failed' male genitalia, and a Catholic priest who designed ingenious miniature pants to prove that frogs required semen to fertilize their eggs. A witty and rousing history of science, The Seeds of Life presents our greatest scientists struggling-against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices-to uncover how and where we come from"--Site web de l'éditeur