Telling people about research is just as important as doing it. But many researchers, who, in all other respects, are competent scientists, are afraid of writing. They are wary of the unwritten rules, the unspoken dogma and the inexplicably complex style, all of which seem to pervade conventional thinking about scientific writing.
Our blood pressure and breathing patterns are the very basis of our existence. Learn about the heart and explore its anatomy. Also find out about the blood, and its four main components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. Enter the respiratory system by exploring the nose, larynx and lungs. Find out about inhaling and exhaling, and how the two systems work together. The concepts are clearly illustrated with hands-on experiments.
Humans, like all other animals, reproduce and the process is no less fascinating. Our reproductive and endocrine systems are key components in the continuation of the human race. Learn about the male and female reproductive organs, and study key reproductive functions such as the ovarian cycle and fertilization of an egg. The reproductive process is illustrated with vivid graphics. Learn also about how the endocrine system works in conjunction with the reproductive system.
Our bones serve many purposes. Find out more about the five functions of the skeletal system: form, movement, protection, mineral storage and marrow production. See the inner workings of bones and how they interact with our muscles. Learn the difference between bone and cartilage plus the four types of movable joints. Together the two systems control our movements; clear illustrations and images demonstrate this process. Learn also about the importance of exercise and muscle health.
Inevitably, Sides's main focus is the virtual decimation of the Navajo nation from the 1820s to the late 1860s. Sides depicts the complex role of whites in the subjugation of the Navajos through his portrait of Kit Carson—an illiterate trapper, soldier and scout who knew the Native Americans intimately, married two of them and, without blinking, participated in the Indians' slaughter. Books about Carson have been numerous, but Sides is better than most Carson biographers in setting his exploits against a larger backdrop: the unstoppable idea of manifest destiny.
