"Our relationship with nature is evolving, rapidly but incrementally," writes Diane Ackerman, "and at times so subtly that we don't perceive the sonic booms, literally or metaphorically." In this thought-provoking analysis of our connection to the earth, Ackerman (The Zookeeper's Wife) moves from the macro--the global climate, in its current state of flux--to the micro--the new discoveries in science and biology that are redefining how we perceive our own bodies. While talk of climate change, the increase in extreme storms around the world and rising sea levels is not new, Ackerman brings clarity and insight to these subjects, presenting scientific material with an easily understood conversational tone and making the "planetary chaos that threatens our well-being" seem less dire.
Ackerman discusses the way humans have interfered with the natural order of predator and prey by introducing nonnative plants and animals to different environments, creating imbalances that have cost millions to try to correct. Turning to the inner world of the human body, she illuminates how scientists have crossed cellular boundaries to examine the tiniest microbes and molecules that might influence not only our immune systems but our relationships and career choices as well. Ackerman examines concepts that verge on science fiction, such as the newest prototypes in biochemistry and 3-D printing--labs are currently "printing" spare ears using living cells as the medium, and future possibilities include producing functioning kidneys and other organs. The Human Age is a lens that magnifies and clarifies the fascinating, far-reaching effects humans have had on our planet and ourselves. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer