Human Biology, 11th edition

Book Preface

This new edition of Human Biology continues our dedication to providing an accessible, relevant, and appealing introduction to the study of the human body. Although most students who use this book will not become scientists, all can benefit from a better understanding of body structures and their functions and from the real-world application of basic biological concepts and principles. Knowing how cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems work will help students make informed choices about lifestyle and nutrition, while having a deeper understanding of common diseases and disorders will help them navigate issues related to health care. In addition, some background in ecology will help them grasp why human activities such as adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere put us and other species at risk. In this way, as they progress through this text, students will learn both the core concepts of human biology and how they apply to everyday situations, preparing them to make well-informed decision in their lives.

Features of This Edition

Each chapter opens with a concise real-life story and an engaging—and often dramatic—photograph. More than half of the streamlined opening stories are new to this edition. A brief Links to Earlier Concepts summary reminds students of relevant information that has been covered in previous chapters, and Key Concepts statements preview the current chapter’s content. An eye-catching photograph or graphic that appears in icon form next to each key concept also occurs within a relevant section, as part of a visual message that threads through the chapter.

Sections The content of every chapter is organized as a series of Concepts, each explored in a numbered section that is two pages or less. A section’s title reflects its concept, and sentence-style subsection headers guide students through the discussion. Bulleted sentences in the Take- Home Message summarize and reinforce the Concept and the section’s supporting information.

Focus on Human Impact Our new Focus on Human Impact feature enriches the chapter’s relevance to students’ lives by exploring the impacts of our collective activities and individual choices on real-world concerns. For example, in Chapter 8, the Focus on Human Impact feature examines the challenges and benefits of blood donation efforts. In Chapter 16 it explores the growing commerce in human eggs used in assisted reproduction technologies.

On-Page Glossary As in the previous edition, an on-page glossary presents boldface key terms introduced in each section. This section-by-section glossary offers definitions in alternate wording and can also be used as a quick study and review aid. All terms are available in the end-matter glossary as well.

Self-Assessment Tools As with the previous edition, each text section closes with a focused Take-Home Message that allows students to check their grasp of the section contents before moving on. At the end of each chapter, Review, Self- Quiz, and Critical Thinking questions provide students with the opportunity to assess their understanding of the chapter’s concepts. A graphic “thumbnail” from chapter sections serves as a visual reminder of each section’s main content. Enhancement Features As with the previous edition, Think Outside the Book features point students to opportunities to use library or online resources to learn more about a “real-world” subject related to a chapter’s content. Concise Explore on Your Own exercises allow students to delve deeper into a selected chapter topic. At the close of each chapter a brief, timely, illustrated Your Future paragraph gives students a glimpse of promising developments on the frontiers of medical or genetic research.