Riddled with Life

Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Are

By: Marlene Zuk

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Paperback | 1 May 2008

At a Glance

Paperback
338 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.32 x 13.34 x 2.13

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We treat disease as our enemy. Germs and infections are things we battle. But what if we've been giving them a bum rap?

From the earliest days of life on earth, disease has evolved alongside us. And its presence isn't just natural but is also essential to our health. Drawing on the latest research, Zuk answers a fascinating range of questions about disease: Why do men die younger than women? Why are we attracted to our mates? Why does the average male bird not have a penis? Why do we--as well as insects, birds, pigs, cows, goats, and even plants--get STDs? Why do we have sex at all, rather than simply splitting off copies of ourselves like certain geckos? And how is our obsession with cleanliness making us sicker?

In this witty, engaging book, evolutionary biologist Zuk makes us rethink our instincts as she argues that disease is our partner, not our foe. Reconsider the fearsome parasite!

Industry Reviews

"* Zuk's book makes disease scintillating, wryly amusing and even sexy. Her enthusiasm and a hundred examples propel the reader to a deeper understanding of the nature of life."--Randolph N. Nesse, author of Why We Get Sick"

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Science Biology, Life Sciences Human Biology Microbiology excluding Medical Medicine Other Branches of Medicine Pathology Medical Parasitology Science in General Popular Science Family & Health

Introduction	p. 1
Why Doctors Need Darwin	p. 13
Friendly Worms and the Price of Victory	p. 38
Not Such a Bad Case	p. 64
The Race with Sex That's Never Won	p. 83
When Sex Makes You Sick	p. 99
The Sicker Sex	p. 123
Parasites and Picking the Perfect Partner	p. 142
When How You Feel is How You Look	p. 180
Taking Care	p. 206
Bad, But Not Weird: The Real Emerging Diseases	p. 237
Who's in Charge Here, Anyway?	p. 266
Acknowledgments	p. 292
References	p. 293
Index	p. 316
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Riddled with Life

Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Are

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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