In his foreword, author and physician Sherwin B. Nuland compares Incredible Voyage to "a great journey with writers and photographers who approach their assignments with the wonder shared by all of us who have devoted our careers to the study and contemplation of the extraordinary edifice of cells that is the human body." The skills of these contributors, he adds, "enable us to see." Following in the grand tradition of Leonardo da Vinci's astonishing notebooks, Vesalius's monumental De Humani Corporis Fabrica, and Gray's Anatomy, Incredible Voyage is a stunning combination of arresting images and definitive explanations. And what an enthralling world it explores, using the latest techniques of microphotography, magnetic resonance imaging, sonography, and more -- to show us everything from individual molecules of DNA to a color-coded map of the deepest recesses of a dreaming brain. Six informative chapters highlighted by 300 colorful, state-of-the-art illustrations trace the development, structure, and function of the human organism, from conception to old age. With a team of expert authors as your guides, examine the cellular building blocks and genetic master plans that lie at the foundation of life. Explore the body's marvelous natural engineering and its intricate interactions, learn about your amazing biological defenses, and discover what really happens when disease strikes. The book also presents the latest technological improvements in biomedicine, explaining what cutting-edge research has revealed about such diverse subjects as the human consciousness, immunodeficiency, and the aging process. Finally, we look ahead to future developments, ranging from improved diagnostic techniques and alternative medicines to the wonders of genetic engineering. Incredible Voyage is a true synthesis of extraordinary visual impact and authoritative information that offers a vivid and innovative portrait of human physiology as we understand it, on the brink of the 21st century. It's must reading for anyone interested in the human body and all its fascinating intricacy. Read Less