611. Human anatomy, cytology, histology

Almost everyone knows human anatomy deals with the human body and its parts. But the words cytology and histology are not as common. Cytology deals with all facets of the body’s cells while histology is the study of tiny sections of tissues within the body.

Further reading:

Neil Shubin Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion-Year History of the Human Body, 2008.

Leading paleontologist and anatomy professor Neil Shubin examines the fossil record and combines that with what we’ve learned about DNA. Then he shares what our bodies have in common with ancient fish, worms, and bacteria.

612 Human physiology, part 1

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, physiology deals with the functions and activities of living matter

Natalie Angier Woman: An Intimate Geography, 1999.

Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist Natalie Angier looks at human female anatomy from a scientific perspective. She shares what biology both contrasts and confirms how “feminine nature” is traditionally presented. It’s an enlightening look at how our biology affects who we are.

” No matter how old you get, your muscles never lose hope. Few cells of the body are as capable as muscle cells are of change and reformation, of achievement and transcendence.” — Natalie Angier Woman: An Intimate Geography. 

David Bodanis The Secret Family: Twenty-Four Hours Inside the Mysterious World of Our Minds and Bodies, 1997

Following a family of five for a twenty-four-hour day, David Bodanis uncovers what is happening inside the minds and bodies of the father, mother, daughter, son, and baby. Some of his findings are astounding.

Rick Hanson Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, 2009.

Psychologist Rick Hanson uses recent neurological research findings combined with insights from spiritual practices all over the world to explain how figures such as Jesus and the Buddha attained such dizzying spiritual heights. While he can’t guarantee you will become enlightened, he provides tools to help you gain inner peace.

For more books, see Human Physiology Books, Part 2.

For more information about the Further Reading series, please see Further Reading: Start Here.