Secrets of the Human Body

Description

206 bones. One heart. Two eyes. Ten fingers. You may think we know what makes up a human. But it turns out our bodies are full of surprises. What makes tears of joy different from tears of sadness? Why is a gut feeling so much smarter than you think? And why is 90% of you not even human? You may think you know the human body - heart, lungs, brain and bones - but it's time to think again. Your body is full of extraordinary mysteries that science is only just beginning to understand. This book, which accompanies a major new BBC TV programme, turns your knowledge of the human body on its head. Leading us through all of these revelations are stories of everyday miracles - the human stories that bind every one of us together through the universal stages of life. From the most extreme environments on Earth, to the most extreme events, we reveal the extraordinary abilities every human shares. Combining cutting-edge science with cutting-edge technology, we see the human body like never before. Featuring pioneering specialist photography, a new generation of digital effects will allow us to catch a tantalising glimpse beneath our skin, leading you to discover the secrets that make every ordinary human body ... extraordinary.

Andrew Cohen is Head of the BBC Science Unit and the Executive Producer of the BBC series Planets. He has been responsible for a wide range of science documentaries, including the Wonders trilogy, Human Universe, Forces of Nature and Stargazing Live. He lives in London with his wife and three children.

'The van Tullekens are the pin-up doctors at the forefront of HIV research, medicine in war zones and the Ebola epidemic. They're so warm and likeable that they've made roughly 20 TV shows between them in the past ten years. Proving that smart is indeed the new sexy, both van Tullekens are highly qualified doctors researching and treating infectious diseases, while their shows tend to involve hair-raising, death-defying or body-hacking challenges - all carried off with inexhaustible good humour in the name of science. Indeed, at the age of 36, their bucket list is as short as Chris' stubble: to date they've trekked to the North Pole, shoved spikes through their tongues and even won a BAFTA.' Evening Standard