Few creations of nature display the perfect unity of form and function found in the vertebrate skeleton. Ingeniously designed by the processes of evolution, bones are marvels of engineering. In tribute to both the beauty and mechanics of its subject, Bones explores the structure, material, and movement of bones. It examines the composition of bone material, looks at joints and muscle attachments that allow for movement-including such elaborate mechanisms as fish jaws, rattlesnake fangs, and a lion's retractable claws-and shows how the same bone is shaped wildly differently in a variety of animals.A wealth of specially commissioned color plates shows bones as they have seldom been seen before. The luminous images range from the unusual (the skeleton of a pygmy flying squirrel) to the ordinary (the tailbones of a domestic cat), and from the enormous (the vertebra of a dinosaur) to the minuscule (the acoustic bones of a desert kangaroo rat). With its blend of lively science and unexpected beauty, Bones leaves readers with insight into the workings of the skeleton, and a sense of wonder at its intricacy.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
The configuration of bones and skeletons offers compelling examples of engineering principles and design. Evolution has produced countless variations of features and functions based on the same basic parts of the skeleton, and so bats suspend their wings on long fingers while monkeys use their fingers for grasping, and horses run on one enlarged toe with nothing but remnant slivers of bone to show that their ancestors ever had more. This volume's 140 elegant photos illustrate some of these amazing adaptations (no diagrams of muscles or living animals intrude on the macabre purity of the bones themselves). The discussion focuses on engineering aspects such as the trade-off between strength and lightness, how joints are constructed, how bones adapt as an animal grows, and the uses for different shapes of teeth. It's an eye-opening and visually beautiful synthesis of ideas about ecology, evolution, and engineering.?Amy Brunvand, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
R. McNeil Alexander is Deputy Head of the Department of Pure and Applied Biology at the University of Leeds, England. Considered the world's foremost authority on animal mechanics, he has received several prestigious awards, including the Scientific Medal from the Zoological Society of London.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An insightful and beautiful survey of life itself.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Bones: The Unity of Form and Function (Hardcover)
Although my initial interest in this book stemmed from a pursuit of amatuer paleontology, I soon discovered that Dr. Alexander had written a very general and succinct discussion of how and why bones are as they are. His presentation ranges from most interesting mechanical considerations to those of esthetics. The very well written text is supported by beautiful photography -- who would have thought that 'bones' could be so interesting?My only regret is that I am reviewing a borrowed copy. Unfortunately, the book is out of print, and I cannot find even a used copy. I intend to contact the publisher and encourage a second printing. Meanwhile, check you library resources. This book is well worth reading and contemplating. G. Patrick Martin, Ph. D.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bones: The unity of form and function,
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This review is from: Bones: The Unity Of Form And Function (Paperback)
This is a great and informative book. I work in an orthopedic office and have received many favorable comments both from adults and children.
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