Description

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Easy to use and friendly guide explains the inner workings of cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, plants, animals, as well as evolution, the environment, DNA and chromosomes, genetics and genetic engineering, laboratory techniques, and much, much more.

Gene therapy. Forensic DNA profiling. Biochemistry. Biotechnology. Cloning. Stem Cells. Super Bugs. Genetically modified food. Botany. Zoology. Sex. The study of life and living organisms is ancient, broad, and ongoing. Biology combines the Greek word for life, bios, with the suffix -ology, or science/study/knowledge of. The new, completely revised and updated The Handy Biology Answer Book examines, explains, and traces mankind's understanding of this important topic.

From the newsworthy to the practical and from the medical to the historical, this entertaining and informative book brings the complexity of life into focus through the well-researched answers to more than 1,250 common biology questions, such as ... What is life? Why do you need protein in your diet? Do animals suffer from allergies just like humans? What is the Human Genome Project? Why do birds fly in formation? Can the environment affect genes? Do bacteria get addicted to caffeine? What was the historical significance of hemp? How are seedless grapes grown? What is social Darwinism? Can animals suffer from psychological disorders?

The Handy Biology Answer Book has clear, concise answers to questions on everything from genetics to the anatomy of cells to the emotional life of elephants, and from the environment and ecology to human biology and evolution. It's a must-have for any student of life With many photos, illustrations, and other graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

About the Author

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Patricia Barnes-Svarney is a science and science fiction writer. Over the past few decades, she has written or coauthored more than 35 books, including Visible Ink Press' The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book, The Handy Math Answer Book, and The Handy Ocean Answer Book. She is the author of When the Earth Moves: Rogue Earthquakes, Tremors, and Aftershocks, and she was also the editor/author of the award-winning New York Public Library Science Desk Reference. Thomas E. Svarney is a scientist who has written extensively about the natural world. His books, with Patricia Barnes-Svarney, include Visible Ink Press' The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book, The Handy Math Answer Book, and The Handy Ocean Answer Book, and he is also the author of Skies of Fury: Weather Weirdness around the World and The Oryx Guide to Natural History. They live in Endicott, New York.