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The seeds of life : from Aristotle to Da Vinci, from sharks' teeth to frogs' pants, the long and strange quest to discover where babies come from
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The seeds of life : from Aristotle to Da Vinci, from sharks' teeth to frogs' pants, the long and strange quest to discover where babies come from

by Edward Dolnick

This history of science chronicles the quest to understand human conception, detailing the experiments and misconceptions of early researchers. It examines how religious beliefs and social prejudices influenced the development of reproductive biology.

Accession 12403 ISBN 9780465082957 Publisher Basic Books
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The seeds of life : from Aristotle to Da Vinci, from sharks' teeth to frogs' pants, the long and strange quest to discover where babies come from spine
The seeds of life : from Aristotle to Da Vinci, from sharks' teeth to frogs' pants, the long and strange quest to discover where babies come from cover
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The seeds of life : from Aristotle to Da Vinci, from sharks' teeth to frogs' pants, the long and strange quest to discover where babies come from cover
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TAGS
Curated Derived
Biology Life Sciences Medicine Science Sex Social Sciences
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True
position_updated_at
2026-06-01 16:39
orientation
vertical
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dimensions
none captured
spine_text
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Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
M:N3:19 3 Current vertical
2 weeks ago
G:W1:6 3 vertical
4 weeks ago
Unknown location vertical
4 weeks, 2 days ago
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Identity

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The seeds of life : from Aristotle to Da Vinci, from sharks' teeth to frogs' pants, the long and strange quest to discover where babies come from
vernon_id
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12403
vernon_slug
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9780465082957

Descriptive

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brief_description
Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery. The Seeds of Life is the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Edward Dolnick
tags→ tags
Science, Medicine, Life sciences, DNA, Nucleic acids, Biomolecules, Molecules, Biology, Genetics, Sexual selection, Natural selection, Organs (Anatomy), Anatomy, Science -- History, Reproduction, Human anatomy, Penis, Copulatory organs, Generative organs, Genitourinary organs, Human reproduction, Medicine -- History, Childbirth, Obstetrics
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