The Trouble With Testosterone: And Other Essays On The Biology Of The Human PredicamentFinalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize From the man who Oliver Sacks hailed as “one of the best scientist/writers of our time,” a collection of sharply observed, uproariously funny essays on the biology of human culture and behavior. In the tradition of Stephen Jay Gould and Oliver Sacks, Robert Sapolsky offers a sparkling and erudite collection of essays about science, the world, and our relation to both. “The Trouble with Testosterone” explores the influence of that notorious hormone on male aggression. “Curious George’s Pharmacy” reexamines recent exciting claims that wild primates know how to medicate themselves with forest plants. “Junk Food Monkeys” relates the adventures of a troop of baboons who stumble upon a tourist garbage dump. And “Circling the Blanket for God” examines the neurobiological roots underlying religious belief. Drawing on his career as an evolutionary biologist and neurobiologist, Robert Sapolsky writes about the natural world vividly and insightfully. With candor, humor, and rich observations, these essays marry cutting-edge science with humanity, illuminating the interconnectedness of the world’s inhabitants with skill and flair. |
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adolescent adrenal glands adult animals Aspilia Aspilia leaves baboons become behavior believe Belsky biological body brain cause cells chimpanzees cognitive culture cytokines depression diet disease disorder dominant earlier eating effect emotions epileptic example feeling crummy females fever FURTHER READING garbage genes genetic girls Hobbes hormones human hypothalamus idea illness immune system individual infants interleukins John Henryism Kroeber levels of aggression lives logical male baboon Mark Tansey medicinal metabolic muriquis normal obsessive obsessive-compulsive occurs onset patient patterns person pheromone physiological plant primates Primatology problem puberty rats reach puberty religion reported reproductive response Richard Wrangham Sapolsky schizophrenics schizotypal scientists sexual shaman sick social society someone sort species stress stressors studies testosterone testosterone levels there's thiarubrine-A things thought thymus tion traits troop turn Tversky typically University Western wild baboons Wrangham York young zoopharmacognosy