Humana The Rise of Experimental Biology: An Illustrated History

Peter Lutz, PhD, brilliantly traverses the major milestones along the evolutionary path of biomedicine from earliest recorded times to the dawn of the 20th century. With an engaging narrative that will have you turning "just one more page" well into the night, this book revealingly demonstrates just how the modern scientific method has been shaped by the past. Along the way the reader is treated to some delightfully obscure anecdotes and a treasure trove of rich illustrations that chronicle the tortuous history of biomedical developments, ranging from the bizarre and amusing to the downright macabre. The reader will also be introduced to the major ideas shaping contemporary physiology and the social context of its development, and also gain an understanding of how advances in biological science have occasionally been improperly used to satisfy momentary social or political needs. Review Foreword by Robert Boutilier, PhD, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK "This is a book that will entertain as well as inform a broad audience, from natural philosophers to experimental biologists to medical scientists...[It] is a celebration of the intellectual evolution of the science of physiology and medicine as well as being a socially conscious reminder of our privileged place in nature. I commend it to you." -Bob Boutilier, PhD, Cambridge University "a highly readable and attractive book that is both informative and entertaining. . .In relatively short, pithy, and generously-illustrated chapters, Lutz tells the story of biological discovery from the prehistoric cave painters and their intriguing and naturalistic portrayals of their prey animals, on through the major contributions by the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arab world, and the European periods from the Middle Ages, to the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and into the modern era. His account makes clear that the growth of biological knowledge was by no means a smooth progression, but rather a highly erratic one that advanced rapidly at certain times and then stagnated or regressed as societies favored orthodoxy or mysticism over curiosity and rationality. The book does an excellent job in tracing the development of ideas, and introducing us to the remarkable individuals who were the scientific giants of their times. An appropriate addition on the office bookshelf or for the home library, it is a volume that can be savored in small chapter-sized bites or devoured by an avid reader in a single sitting. Some may simply wish to leaf through and enjoy the illustrations. However it is read, it is a most valuable contribution and both an accessible and timely introduction to the history of biology."-Journal for Experimental BiologyR> From the Back Cover For more than three thousand years our physiological and medical knowledge has developed from the simple reading of entrails to the computerized decoding of the human genome. In The Rise of Experimental Biology: An Illustrated History, Peter Lutz, PhD, brilliantly traverses the major milestones along the evolutionary path of biomedicine from earliest recorded times to the dawn of the 20th century. With an engaging narrative that will have you turning "just one more page" well into the night, this book revealingly demonstrates just how the modern scientific method has been shaped by the past. Along the way the reader is treated to some delightfully entertaining anecdotes and a treasure trove of illustrations that chronicle the tortuous history of biomedical developments, ranging from the bizarre and amusing to the downright macabre. The reader will also be introduced to the major ideas shaping contemporary experimental biology, as well as their social context, and also learn how advances in their understanding have occasionally been improperly used to satisfy momentary social or political needs. Accessibly written and richly pictorial, The Rise of Experimental Biology: An Illus