Ideal for families, students, and anyone who's interested in maintaining good health, Body engagingly reveals the complex and fascinating systems of the human machine;from head to toe, cells to skin, inner workings to outward appearance.

Organized by body system, the chapters offer a balanced combination of basic anatomical and physiological information. Noted science writers Lisa Stein, Trisha Gura, and Patricia Daniels provide descriptions that are clear, accurate, and accessible to readers on every level. Colorful diagrams, amazing photographs, and miraculous 3- and 4-dimensional imagery;generated by cutting-edge tools;complement the text. The drawings of visionaries such as Leonardo Da Vinci illustrate historic advances in medical science.

Special-topic sidebars address today's most relevant concerns: Keeping Healthy, What Can Go Wrong, Medical Breakthroughs, and more. Fact boxes feature eye-catching items that appeal to readers' curiosity: how Botox works, what "blue blood" means, why Joe Namath's knees are famous.

For easy reference, each chapter includes its own glossary of terms. Valuable cross-referencing tools guide readers to related information throughout. An appendix offers a full glossary, timeline of medical discoveries, and biographies of key pioneers in the field.

Enhancing this book's authority are a foreword by acclaimed neurologist Richard Restak, bestselling author of 18 books on the brain; and the guidance of advisers from prestigious medical establishments.

Comprehensive, reliable, impeccably researched, and a pleasure to read, Body is the essential health resource for every home and library....

From the first civilizations to the 21st century, this wide-ranging, compulsively readable book encompasses all of world history—great ages and monumental events; the rise and fall of cultures; names, dates, and statistics; and stories galore. Designed as an authoritative reference that's also irresistible to browse, it's a brilliant blend of narrative, analysis, detailed facts, and visual variety including sidebars, time lines and more than 200 maps and illustrations.

The book offers four revealing ways to look at the human epic. In Milestones, 12 essays address key developments from agriculture and writing to modern democracy and other important themes; next, Major Eras takes a chronological approach, examining 11 eras from prehistory to the present. World at a Glance traces specific subjects through the centuries, with entries on Wars, Religions, Human Accomplishments, Leaders, Artists, and more. An expansive appendix listing presidents, popes, and other world figures, as well as a bibliography, a glossary, and a comprehensive index round out this amazing reference.

A book that meets the most demanding standards of accuracy and graphic excellence, this is an indispensable tool for students and an illuminating, engrossing exploration for anyone interested in the who, what, why, when, and where of world history....

Body: The Complete Human explains each of a person’s working systems in a practical, interactive way. In over 400 images, diagrams and illustrations, the amazing diversity of the body is shown in rich visuals, such as the highly magnified view of a cancer cell, or blood platelets. Well-organized into 13 chapters, authoritative text is punctuated by sidebars, boxes, and cross references that clearly and reliably explain anatomy and function. With links to the highly-trafficked National Geographic website and reflecting the National Geographic Channel’s incredibly successful show "The Living Body," this comprehensive reference utilizes top experts in the field to highlight the latest advances in health and medicine.

This volume is an essential for students, families, and anyone with an interest in health or fitness....