Life at the Extremes

Frances Ashcroft

$26.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Flamingo
19 October 2001

Biography; Physiology; Environmental medicine; Popular science; Human biology; Geographical discovery & exploration

The debut of a female Steve Jones – likeable, literate, lucid and laconic. A sprightly, lavishly illustrated book on the science of human survival.

How do people survive extremes of heat, cold, depth, speed and altitude? This book explores the limits of human survival and the physiological adaptations which enable us to exist under extreme conditions. In man’s battle for survival in the harshest of environments, the knowledge imparted by physiology, the ‘logic of life’, is crucial. What causes mountain sickness? Why is it possible to reach the top of Everest without supplementary oxygen, yet be killed if a plane depressurises suddenly at the same altitude. Why are astronauts unable to stand without fainting when they return to Earth? Why do human divers get the bends but sperm whales don’t? Will men always be able to run faster than women? Why don’t penguins get frostbite?

By: Frances Ashcroft
Imprint: Flamingo
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 250g
ISBN: 9780006551256
ISBN 10: 0006551254
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 19 October 2001
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Frances Ashcroft is a Professor of Physiology at Oxford. She divides her time between research on insulin, teaching and writing.

Reviews for Life at the Extremes

Written by a Professor of Physiology at Oxford, this book deals with particular aspects of human physiology that are well described by the book's subtitle: The Science of Survival. What would happen if you were to lock yourself in the freezer? Why can a mountaineer climb Everest without oxygen when, in an aeroplane suddenly depressurized at the same height, passengers would become unconscious within a few seconds? The answers to these and many other such questions are all here. The book is arranged as a series of reviews of different extreme situations. These include how people deal with extreme height, diving to great depths, heat, cold and feats of endurance. Then it moves on to an environment only recently of concern to humanity, that of space. It ends with comment about the overall resilience of life. Whether it is hard detail about life in a space capsule, or quirky facts about how it is penguins avoid frostbite, the writing turns a serious review of its topic into an exploration to savour. It is to be hoped that this author pauses from her research long enough to repeat the task of writing for a wide, general audience again. (Kirkus UK)