CURRENTLY SOLD OUT

The Shocking History of Electric Fishes: From Ancient Epochs to the Birth of Modern Neurophysiology by Marco Piccolino, Stanley Finger (Hardcover, 2011)

About this product

Product Information

This book looks at how three kinds of strongly electric fishes literally became electrical , and how they helped to change the sciences and medicine. These fishes are the flat torpedo rays common to the Mediterranean, the electric catfishes of Africa, and an eel from South America. The discovery of the electrical nature of these fishes in the second half of the 18th century was the starting point of the two fundamental advances in the sciences: on the physiological side, the demonstration that nerve conduction and muscle excitation are electrical phenomena, and on the physical side, the invention of the electric battery. Starting with catfish tomb drawings from Ancient Egypt and colorful descriptions of torpedoes from the Classical Era, the authors show how these fishes were both fascinating and mysterious to the ancients. After all, not only could they produce torpor and temporary numbness when touched, they could stun through intermediaries, such as wet nets and spears. Various explanations were given for these remarkable actions in ancient times, including the idea that they might release some sort of cold venom. Through the Renaissance, they also tended to be associated with occult and magical qualities. During the 1600s, natural philosophers speculated that rapid movements of specialized muscles could account for their actions. This idea was widely accepted until the 1750s, when the possibility that their shocks might be electrical began to be discussed. Showing how researchers set forth to provide support for fish electricity is a major focus of this book. Here the authors transport us into the jungles of South America and later show how some live eels were transported to London, where John Walsh demonstrated in1776 that they can actually spark. Subsequent chapters deal with further evidence for specialized fish electricity and how electric fishes helped to change ideas about even our own physiology. The authors also show how these fish remained a part of medicine, and how Volta modeled his revolutionary pile or electric battery on their anatomy.From beginning to end, this drama is firmly anchored in the philosophy and science of the day. Moreover, with biographical information about the key players, readers can fully appreciate what they were thinking as they tried to understand one of Nature's greatest puzzles - a mystery that would transform nerve and muscle physiology in ways that earlier generations could not have anticipated. Although a scholarly volume, the book's style is generally narrative and, with its hundreds of magnificent illustrations, it should appeal to a large audience.

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Oxford University Press
ISBN-13
9780195366723
eBay Product ID (ePID)
108506131

Product Key Features

Author
Marco Piccolino, Stanley Finger
Publication Name
The Shocking History of Electric Fishes: from Ancient Epochs to the Birth of Modern Neurophysiology
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Subject
Zoology, Science, Biology
Publication Year
2011
Type
Textbook
Number of Pages
496 Pages

Dimensions

Item Height
287mm
Item Width
224mm
Item Weight
1863g

Additional Product Features

Title_Author
Marco Piccolino, Stanley Finger
Country/Region of Manufacture
United States

Best Selling in Adult Learning & University

Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Adult Learning & University

1871-2021 History Debunked: How Wars and the Scapegoat for Zionism Were Created by Rowald Holt (Paperback, 2020)
5.0 out of 5 stars based on 1 product rating
AU $39.63 New
---- Used
Doug Stone's Gold Atlas of Victoria by Douglas M. Stone (Spiral Bound, 2011)
4.8 out of 5 stars based on 21 product ratings
AU $117.00 New
AU $100.00 Used
Australian Master Bookkeepers Guide - 8th Edition by Stephen J Marsden (Paperback, 2020)
No ratings or reviews yet.
AU $126.45 New
---- Used
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (Paperback, 2015)
4.8 out of 5 stars based on 57 product ratings
AU $19.57 New
AU $14.62 Used
The Weed Forager's Handbook: A Guide to Edible and Medicinal Weeds in Australia by Adam Grubb, Annie Raser-Rowland (2012, Paperback)
4.8 out of 5 stars based on 88 product ratings
AU $19.95 New
AU $13.00 Used
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe (Paperback, 2007)
5.0 out of 5 stars based on 1 product rating
AU $23.99 New
---- Used
Dirt to Soil: One Family's Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown (Paperback, 2018)
5.0 out of 5 stars based on 2 product ratings
AU $28.95 New
---- Used

Save on Adult Learning & University

Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Adult Learning & University

Ford Falcon EF EL / Fairlane NF NL 1994 - 1998 Workshop Manual
AU $49.00
Trending at AU $59.19
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe (English) Paperback Book
AU $23.98
Trending at AU $32.43
Weed Forager's Handbook: A Guide to Edible and Medicinal Weeds in Australia by A
AU $19.95
Trending at AU $20.59
George Hrabovsky Leonard Susskind Classical Mechanics (Paperback)
AU $27.60
Trending at AU $31.48
Linux Basics for Hackers: Getting Started with Networking, Scripting, and Securi
AU $48.44
Trending at AU $51.45
The Indoctrinated Brain: How to Successfully Fend Off the Global Attack on Your
AU $47.95
Trending at AU $57.64

Shop by category

The Shocking History of Electric Fishes: From Ancient Epochs to the Birth of Modern Neurophysiology by Marco Piccolino, Stanley Finger (Hardcover, 2011)

About this product

Product Information

Product Identifiers

Product Key Features

Dimensions

Additional Product Features

Best Selling in Adult Learning & University

1871-2021 History Debunked: How Wars and the Scapegoat for Zionism Were Created by Rowald Holt (Paperback, 2020)

Doug Stone's Gold Atlas of Victoria by Douglas M. Stone (Spiral Bound, 2011)

Australian Master Bookkeepers Guide - 8th Edition by Stephen J Marsden (Paperback, 2020)

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (Paperback, 2015)

The Weed Forager's Handbook: A Guide to Edible and Medicinal Weeds in Australia by Adam Grubb, Annie Raser-Rowland (2012, Paperback)

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe (Paperback, 2007)

Dirt to Soil: One Family's Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown (Paperback, 2018)

Save on Adult Learning & University

Ford Falcon EF EL / Fairlane NF NL 1994 - 1998 Workshop Manual

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe (English) Paperback Book

Weed Forager's Handbook: A Guide to Edible and Medicinal Weeds in Australia by A

George Hrabovsky Leonard Susskind Classical Mechanics (Paperback)

Linux Basics for Hackers: Getting Started with Networking, Scripting, and Securi

The Indoctrinated Brain: How to Successfully Fend Off the Global Attack on Your

You may also like

Ancient History Hardcover Illustrated School Textbooks & Study Guides

Fiction Hardcover Books Ancient Greek

History Hardcover Books

Ancient History School Textbooks and Study Guides

Ancient World Non-Fiction Hardcover Books

History Hardcover Antiquarian & Collectable Books