Anatomies

The Human Body, Its Parts and The Stories They Tell

In Anatomies, bestselling author Hugh Aldersey-Williams investigates that marvellous, mysterious form: the human body.

Did you know that your bladder has a snooze button? Or that a child's arm can support the weight of a car? That one in two hundred of us has a spare rib, and some have an extra X or Y chromosome? That while the British fall 'flat on their face', the Germans fall, more precisely, 'on their nose'? That in Ancient Egypt, the symbol for a heart was a vase, and that in contemporary sweden it is used for unisex lavatories?

From ancient body art to plastic surgery, early anatomists to conceptual artists, grave-robbers to bionic athletes, Anatomies blends history and science, art and the everyday, to chart our ever-changing understanding of the human body, providing a treasure trove of surprising facts, remarkable stories and startling information.

Magnificent, inspired. Stimulating scientific hypotheses, bold philosophic theories, illuminating quotations and curious facts. I recommend it to all

Daily Telegraph

About Hugh Aldersey-Williams

Hugh Aldersey-Williams studied natural sciences at Cambridge. He is the author of several books exploring science, design and architecture - including Periodic Tales, Anatomies and The Adventures of Sir Thomas Browne in the 21st Century - and has curated exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Wellcome Collection. He lives in Norfolk with his wife and son.
Details
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • ISBN: 9780670920723
  • Length: 320 pages
  • Dimensions: 198mm x 20mm x 129mm
  • Weight: 256g
  • Price: £15.99
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