Columbia University Press

Language did not evolve only in the distant past. Our shared understanding of the meanings of words is ever-changing, and we make conscious, rational decisions about which words to use and what to mean by them every day. Applying Charles Darwin's theory of "unconscious artificial selection" to the evolution of linguistic conventions, Daniel Cloud...

Learning From Our Body's Most Terrifying InvadersDickson D. Despommiers vivid, visceral account of the biology, behavior, and history of parasites follows the interplay between these fascinating life forms and human society over thousands of years. He focuses on long-term host-parasite associations, which have evolved to avoid or even subvert...

Calling on a diverse range of experts, this book tackles critical questions about the pharmaceutical industry and the privatization of risk. To what extent does the FDA protect the public from serious side effects and possible disasters? What is the impact of giving greater roles to the private sector and markets and reducing public oversight? This...

The Discovery of Neurotransmitters and the Dispute Over How Nerves CommunicateLike the cracking of the genetic code and the creation of the atomic bomb, the discovery of how the brain's neurons work is one of the fundamental scientific developments of the twentieth century. The discovery of neurotransmitters revolutionized the way we think about...

The Story of BiDil and Racialized Medicine in a Post-Genomic AgeAt a ceremony announcing the completion of the first draft of the human genome in 2000, President Bill Clinton declared, I believe one of the great truths to emerge from this triumphant expedition inside the human genome is that in genetic terms, all human beings, regardless of race,...

Global Health and Security in QuestionIn recent years, new disease threats mdash;such as SARS, avian flu, mad cow disease, and drug-resistant strains of malaria and tuberculosis mdash;have garnered media attention and galvanized political response. Proposals for new approaches to "e;securing health"e; against these threats have come not...