Author Description

Countless chemicals, fluids, and substances mix and merge to make the complex life form we call a human being. And while there is still much that remains to be understood, science has come a long way towards uncovering the nature and purpose of these essential ingredients. In The Stuff of Life, Eric P. Widmaier deconstructs the fundamental precesses of the human body and focuses on those vital biological substances that are particularly well understood. By examining the blueprints that dictate what we are, the molecular framework that holds us together, and the balance of chemicals within us, Widmaier explains: * Why are some fats worse than others? * Is cholesterol actually good for anything? (hint: sex) * How does the stomach digest food? * Why do we need to breathe and why can't we hold our breath for very long? * How does a single carbon atom contribute to the difference between a man and a woman? Where does our energy come from? The Stuff of Life offers answers to these and many more common questions about how the body works, written in a manner that will appeal to the general public. Widmaier has taken the complexities of biochemistry and physiology and translated them into a concise, easy-to-read handbook complete with illustrations.