The Neck: A Natural and Cultural HistoryA 300-million-year tour of the prominent role of the neck in animal evolution and human culture. Humans give a lot of attention to the neck. We decorate it with jewelry and ties, kiss it passionately, and use it to express ourselves in word and song. Yet, at the neck, people have also shackled their prisoners, executed their opponents, and slain their victims. Beyond the drama of human culture, animals have evolved their necks into a staggering variety of shapes and uses vital to their lifestyles. The Neck delves into evolutionary time to solve a living paradox—why is our neck so central to our survival and culture, but so vulnerable to injury and disease? Biologist Kent Dunlap shows how the neck's vulnerability is not simply an unfortunate quirk of evolution. Its weaknesses are intimately connected to the vessels, pipes, and glands that make it so vital to existence. Fun and far-reaching, The Neck explores the diversity of forms and functions of the neck in humans and other animals and shows how this small anatomical transition zone has been a locus of incredible evolutionary and cultural creativity. |
Contents
Why What | 1 |
Panorama Gesture | 41 |
Tubes Transport | 66 |
Pace Scaffolding | 95 |
Speech and Song at the Neck | 113 |
Courtship Attraction | 148 |
Membership Status | 178 |
Power Politics | 202 |
Shields Saints | 228 |
Created Crafted | 253 |
List of Illustrations | 261 |
Bibliography | 279 |
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Common terms and phrases
acoustic anatomy animals arteries behavior bipedal birds blood flow body regions brain breath calcium carotid cavities cells centimeters century cervical spine cervical vertebrae collar color commonly communication complex cough courtship culture dance dewlap display diverse elongated embryo epiglottis esophagus evolution evolutionary evolved females forces frequency frogs function giraffes goiter head human iodine jaws larynx lions lizard long neck lungs lymph nodes males mammals manes mate mobile mouth move movement muscular neck muscles neckties nerves noose origins ornaments owls parathyroid glands pitch position posture predators prey proprioceptive protection recurrent laryngeal nerve researchers role ruff sacs sauropods scarves sensory sexual selection shape signals skin songs sounds species speech spinal cord structures syrinx terrestrial vertebrates throat thyroid gland thyroid hormone tilt tion tissues torso trachea tube turtles twisting vases vertebrates vertical vibrations visual vocal folds vocal tract voice vulnerability whiplash women yoke