English

The Body by Bill Bryson

2024-06-10 2 min read Sincheenz

Our body and all that goes into making us who we are—how we move around, how we interact, how we think and react, how we convert what we inhale or ingest, and how we go on to reproduce—is a marvelous piece of engineering, art, and more. It is so complex and seems to all fall into place.

Have you wondered who or what created our blueprint and defined how things should work? At 4 weeks, a group of cells goes on to form the heart, and by week 5 it starts beating rhythmically. How and why are questions that are still being answered?

Why do we have two kidneys and only one of other vital organs? Or what is the role of Appendicts or Spleen? It was all revelation to me. Even the female reproductive organ of which I thought I knew enough. Did you know that you are born with around 1 millions eggs? Funnily it degenerates and by the time you want to have babies in your 30s and 40s, you are left with only around 100k or so. That’s 90% eggs gone. Did you also know that only mitochondrial DNA from the female is passed on? This means that for those of us who have boys, our mitochondrial genetic legacy has ended. Search for Mitochondrial Eve on internet; it’s fascinating.

Did you know that cells have a DNA segment called telomeres that tells them exactly when they should stop dividing? When you freeze the cells and unfreeze them, they continue to divide from the point they stopped before freezing. It is amazing how much we already know about our body, cells, and DNA, but there is still so much more to learn. In the last century, medicine has made immense progress, and there is still a long way to go. Our body is mortal and someday it will be gone, but while we still have it, we should admire it, maintain it and strive to maximize its potential. It’s the most amazing thing you will ever own.

This book is a fantastic read. I love how Bryson combines facts and humor and makes this book so gripping. Look forward to reading more books from him.