Alex Bezzerides

A fascinating, irreverent guide to human evolution and what it means for our bodies today An eye-opening look into why our bodies work--or don't--the way they do. From blurry vision, to crooked teeth, ACLs that tear at alarming rates and spines that seem to spend a lifetime falling apart, it's a curious thing that human beings have beaten the odds as a species. After all, we're the only survivors on our branch of the tree of life. Why is it that human mothers have such a life-endangering experience giving birth? And why are there entire medical specialties for teeth and feet? In this funny, wide-ranging and often surprising book, biologist Alex Bezzerides tells us just where we inherited our adaptable, achy, brilliant bodies in the process of evolution. The book traces the delightfully unexpected answers to these questions and many more: Why do we blink? Why don't our teeth regularly fit in our mouths? Why do women menstruate when so many other mammals don't? Why did humans stand up on two legs in the first place?

Surprising Stories from the Human Body's Curious Past

Evolution Gone Wrong

sloths depend on algae for camouflage and extra nutrition

sloths take care of algae by taking care of moths by using their dung to provide a nursery for moth larva

Ignacio Velarde

why do three toed sloths come down from their trees to defecate? 

sloths risk their lives to make a dung nursery for the moths on whom they depend on for fertilizer to grow the algae they not only use as camo but also eat from their own fur as an extra shit of nutrition

Evolution Gone Wrong quotes

Join the club