This is a solid reference, a reliable, up-to-date resource for families and students, who want to understand the inner workings of the human body. Engaging text by science writers Lisa Stein and Trisha Gura reveals the complex and fascinating systems of the body: from the Cells to the Skin, from the Circulatory System to the Nervous System. Hardworking diagrams and photographs complement colourful imagery and visual data generated by state-of-the-art tools such as powerful microscopes, ultrasound imaging, and molecular surveillance.Special-topic sidebars include: What Can Go Wrong; Breakthroughs; and Biographies. Fact boxes accent the narrative with such quick-hit information as "How Botox Works," "The origin of the term "'blue blood,'" and "Why are Joe Namath's knees are famous?" For easy, quick access, each chapter includes a glossary of terms pertinent to the system at hand. Valuable cross-referencing tools appear in every chapter to guide readers to related information throughout the book. A full appendix includes a bookwide glossary, timeline of medical discoveries, and biographies of key medical pioneers.