Human Bones: a Scientific and Pictorial Investigation

Science News, Jan 8, 2005

HUMAN BONES: A Scientific and Pictorial Investigation

R. MCNEILL ALEXANDER

All 213 bones of the human body are on display here, as Alexander--a zoologist who specializes in biomechanics--celebrates each one. He describes in brilliant detail how each bone looks and functions on its own and with other bones. For instance, he explains the wide range of motion that bones in the arm and those at the shoulder create together, how the nose and mouth cavities combine to make sound, and how other parts of the skull form a cozy house for the brain. The author also covers how the eye fits into the skull and how parts of the ear are designed and contribute to the senses. In other sections, readers learn about how muscles, ligaments, and bones facilitate movement. On a broader scale, the opening chapter considers how bones continue to grow throughout a lifetime. Other sections rounding out the volume look at skeletal diseases and how bones break and are repaired. Alexander also considers how bones differ among people and their overall evolution. Large and detailed color photographs aid in these discussions. Pi Pr, 2005, 208 p., color photos/illus., hardcover, $37.50.