Books in Science Library series

In the current resurgence of interest in the biological basis of animal behavior and social organization, the ideas and questions pursued by Charles Darwin remain fresh and insightful. This is especially true of The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, Darwin's second most important work. This edition is a facsimile reprint of the first printing of the first edition (1871), not previously available in paperback. The work is divided into two parts. Part One marshals behavioral and morphological evidence to argue that humans evolved from other animals. Darwin shoes that human mental and emotional capacities, far from making human beings unique, are evidence of an animal origin and evolutionary development. Part Two is an extended discussion of the differences between the sexes of many species and how they arose as a result of selection. Here Darwin lays the foundation for much contemporary research by arguing that many characteristics of animals have evolved not in response to the selective pressures exerted by their physical and biological environment, but rather to confer an advantage in sexual competition. These two themes are drawn together in two final chapters on the role of sexual selection in humans. In their Introduction, Professors Bonner and May discuss the place of The Descent in its own time and relation to current work in biology and other disciplines.

In Science Safety Rules, readers will be introduced to important science safety guidelines and new vocabulary. Featuring real-life photographs, fascinating facts, a comprehension and extension section, and more, readers stay engaged while learning and strengthening their reading comprehension skills. Have you ever wondered about the science all around us? Plants grow and change, the Sun rises to warm the Earth, and matter changes from one form to another. Investigate Life, Physical, Earth, and Technology science topics with Rourke’s My Science Library. This library explores NSTA science standards with engaging text and colorful images to support readers from kindergarten to third grade. Are you ready to investigate?

Today the fruits of science are evident everywhere, but the man responsible for them has remained, in large part, an enigma. Both by tradition and by preference, the scientist tends to be self-effacing. Yet never in history has there been a more urgent need to understand who he is and how he works. This book scrutinizes the scientist as a human being and as a modern legend, as a thinker and a doer, and as a powerful new force in 20th century life.