Human Wildlife: The Life That Lives on Us - Softcover

In Human Wildlife, Dr. Robert Buckman takes us on an engrossingly detailed journey through the hoards of organisms that thrive within, on, and uncomfortably close to our bodies. The voyage includes a mix of humorous text and astonishing photographs. From bedbugs to bacteria, the doctor reminds us that even when we think we are by ourselves, we are never alone.

[A]n authoritative and inherently fascinating study of the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live within and upon human beings... Full-color photographs (many of the magnified pictures of microscope viewings) add a stunningly effective touch to this accessible informational resource for biology studentsa nd non-specialist general readers alike.

Kids (and curious adults) will love this bestiary of ugly little creatures... Written with humor and a light touch.

This is a book that just about everyone will find in some measure fascinating, disturbing, engaging, repulsive and funny... buy it for a friend who worries about 'germs.'

Your body has 100 trillion cells, but only 10 trillion are human. The rest belong to the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live on or in us. Some of these tenants are actually beneficial, aiding in the digestion process, for example. The majority of them neither help nor hurt us, but simply coexist with us. A few species, however, from the cholera bacilli to tapeworms and lice, can be dangerous, and sometimes deadly.

In Human Wildlife, Dr. Robert Buckman takes readers on a safari through the human body, pointing out the long-term residents, the itinerant visitors, the irritating vandals, and the ruthless invaders, carefully distinguishing between helpful friends, harmless acquaintances, and lethal foes. By turns funny, amazing, and alarming, Human Wildlife is an endlessly fascinating journey through our own private biospheres.

Along the way, we learn that one-third of the human race is allergic to dust mite feces; that bad breath is caused by bacteria living on the back of our tongues which release sulfur from the protein we eat; that live maggots are being successfully used to treat drug-resistant infections; that fresh sweat is odorless (the smell results from the activity of armpit bacteria); and that the average kitchen cutting board has more bacteria than the top of a toilet seat. Accompanied by stunning, full-color and high-magnification images of these myriad organisms, Dr. Buckman's informative and engrossing text is leavened with a delightful sense of humor.