Human Biology

Blood runs red through every person's arteries and fulfills the same functions in every human being. The study of blood has advanced our understanding of biology and improved medical treatments, but its cultural and social representations have divided us perennially. Blood pulses... through religion, literature, and the visual arts. Every time it pools or spills, we learn a little more about what brings human beings together and what pulls us apart. For centuries, perceptions of difference in our blood have separated people on the basis of gender, race, class, and nation. Ideas about blood purity have spawned rules about who gets to belong to a family or cultural group, who enjoys the rights of citizenship and nationality, what privileges one can expect to be granted or denied, whether you inherit poverty or the right to rule over the masses, what constitutes fair play in sport, and what defines a person's identity. Blood: The Stuff of Life is a bold meditation on blood as an historical and contemporary marker of identity, belonging, gender, race, class, citizenship, athletic superiority, and nationhood. 'Chock full of fascinating statistics, anecdotes and arguments about blood and ranges in topics from embryonic stem cell research and doping in sports, to the Holocaust and the search for ancestors. It's entertaining, shocking and informative' -Vancouver Sun
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A long-overdue reckoning with widespread lies about diets and weight loss

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2015 BRAGG UNSW PRESS PRIZE FOR SCIENCE WRITING Disease - specifically infectious disease - is what eventually kills the overwhelming majority of us. In fact, it's amazing that it doesn't get us sooner: we fight off millions of disease-causing germs every d...ay. So how come we're not dead yet? In this lively and accessible book, Idan Ben-Barak tells us why. He explores the immune system and what keeps it running, how germs are destroyed, and why we develop immunities to certain disease-causing agents. He also examines the role of antibiotics and vaccines, and looks at what the future holds for our collective chances of not being dead. This is entertaining and thoughtful science writing to inspire the student interested in a career in medicine or immunology, or to inform the reader who just wants to understand more about their body while having a laugh along the way. PRAISE FOR IDAN BEN-BARAK '[F]riendly and engaging ... accessible to anyone who's curious about the mechanics of the human body.' The Age
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The first book-length account of a new realm of human biology, questioning our modern obsession with disinfection and sterilisation.