Human wildlife : the life that lives on us

Robert Buckman

Your body has 100 trillion cells, but only 10 trillion are human. The rest belong to the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live on or in us. Some of these tenants are actually beneficial, aiding in the digestion process, for example. The majority of them neither help nor hurt us, but simply coexist with us. A few species, however, from the cholera bacilli to tapeworms and lice, can be dangerous, and sometimes deadly. In Human Wildlife, Dr. Robert Buckman takes readers on a safari through the human body, pointing out the long-term residents, the itinerant visitors, the irritating vandals, and the ruthless invaders, carefully distinguishing between helpful friends, harmless acquaintances, and lethal foes. By turns funny, amazing, and alarming, Human Wildlife is an endlessly fascinating journey through our own private biospheres. Along the way, we learn that one-third of the human race is allergic to dust mite feces; that bad breath is caused by bacteria living on the back of our tongues which release sulfur from the protein we eat; that live maggots are being successfully used to treat drug-resistant infections; that fresh sweat is odorless (the smell results from the activity of armpit bacteria); and that the average kitchen cutting board has more bacteria than the top of a toilet seat. Accompanied by stunning, full-color and high-magnification images of these myriad organisms, Dr. Buckman's informative and engrossing text is leavened with a delightful sense of humor.

「Nielsen BookData」より

Your body has 100 trillion cells, but only 10 trillion are human. The rest belong to the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live on or in us. Some of these tenants are actually beneficial, aiding in the digestion process, for example. The majority of them neither help nor hurt us, but simply coexist with us. A few species, however, from the cholera bacilli to tapeworms and lice, can be dangerous, and sometimes deadly. In Human Wildlife, Dr. Robert Buckman takes readers on a safari through the human body, pointing out the long-term residents, the itinerant visitors, the irritating vandals, and the ruthless invaders, carefully distinguishing between helpful friends, harmless acquaintances, and lethal foes. By turns funny, amazing, and alarming, Human Wildlife is an endlessly fascinating journey through our own private biospheres. Along the way, we learn that one-third of the human race is allergic to dust mite feces; that bad breath is caused by bacteria living on the back of our tongues which release sulfur from the protein we eat; that live maggots are being successfully used to treat drug-resistant infections; that fresh sweat is odorless (the smell results from the activity of armpit bacteria); and that the average kitchen cutting board has more bacteria than the top of a toilet seat. Accompanied by stunning, full-color and high-magnification images of these myriad organisms, Dr. Buckman's informative and engrossing text is leavened with a delightful sense of humor.

「Nielsen BookData」より

[目次]

  • Contents: 1. Planet Human 2. The Meaning of Lice 3. In Your Face 4. The Worms' Turn 5. Repulsive Invaders 6. The Origin of Feces 7. Fellow Travelers 8. One WorldAcknowledgments List of Illustrations Index

「Nielsen BookData」より

[目次]

  • Contents: 1. Planet Human 2. The Meaning of Lice 3. In Your Face 4. The Worms' Turn 5. Repulsive Invaders 6. The Origin of Feces 7. Fellow Travelers 8. One WorldAcknowledgments List of Illustrations Index

「Nielsen BookData」より

この本の情報

書名 Human wildlife : the life that lives on us
著作者等 Buckman, Robert
出版元 J. Hopkins University Press
刊行年月 2003
ページ数 203 p.
大きさ 24 cm
ISBN 0801874076
0801874068
NCID BA65797932
※クリックでCiNii Booksを表示
言語 英語
出版国 アメリカ合衆国
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