The World's Best Book Summaries
Why do humans share one input for both breathing and eating? Why do we still have an appendix? And why are our retinas inside out? The answer to all these questions is simple: bad evolutionary designs. Over time, evolution makes slow changes to our bodies, but it does not erase the old designs, leaving us with bad or useless traits. Keep reading to learn more about human evolutionary legacies.
Where did English come from? What are the origins of the English language? English is a Germanic language whose origins date back to the mid-5th century CE. The story of English began when the Germanic peoples known as the Angles and Saxons, hailing from what is now Northern Germany, began migrating to and conquering the Roman province of Britannia. Keep reading to learn about the origins of the English language.
Why is the female lifespan longer than a male’s? Why do women go through menopause? These questions about human senescence, or aging, can be explained through Darwinian medicine. Darwinism says that the human body prioritized reproductive health above all else. That means that it will prioritize short-term reproductive fitness over long-term sustainability. Keep reading to learn more about the process of senescence.
Why are vampires so commonly written about in literature? What do vampires symbolize? In literature, dark creatures such as vampires, ghouls, and ghosts often have deeper meanings. It was especially common to write about vampires in the Victorian era because books were censored and vampires were a euphemism for sexual encounters. Keep reading to learn about vampires in literature.
Who was Suzanne Alele? What lasting impact did she have on Michelle Obama’s life? Suzanne Alele was Michelle’s best friend from Princeton. Suzanne was carefree, spontaneous, and full of vigor. Tragically, at the age of 26, Suzanne lost her battle with cancer and taught Michelle the importance of enjoying life. Keep reading to learn more about Michelle and Suzanne’s friendship.
What was the Great Vowel Shift in the history of the English language? How did it change the pronunciation of English vowels? The Great Vowel Shift was a change in the pronunciation of English vowels that took place roughly between 1400 and 1600. Basically, the pronunciation of long vowels moved forward, that is, closer to the front of the mouth. Keep reading to learn about the Great Vowel Shift.
What was Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign like? How did Obama win against all odds? When Barack Obama ran for president, he was an unknown senator from Illinois. Michelle was also worried that America wasn’t ready for a Black president. However, Obama’s 2008 run gained strength due to its massive grassroots campaign. Continue on to learn about Obama’s 2008 campaign.
Why can’t humans regenerate body parts? How does Darwinian medicine help us understand the body better? Some animals, like lizards and starfish, can regrow body parts. However, humans do not have this ability because the negative costs outweigh the positive ones. Continue on to learn the dangers of human body regeneration.
In what ways were Michelle and Barack Obama’s upbringings different? Why did Barack move around a lot as a child? Michelle Obama’s childhood was stable and focused around family and education. On the contrary, Barack had a mixed heritage, lived in Hawaii and Indonesia, and had loose ties with his family. Continue reading to learn more about Barack Obama’s heritage and how it differed from Michelle’s.
What is Early Modern English? What are the major linguistic developments that took place during this period? The Early Modern English period extends roughly from 1500 to 1800 CE. The major developments during this period were the Great Vowel Shift, the invention of the printing press, and the English spelling reform. It was also the time of William Shakespeare, who made a remarkable contribution to the standardization and exaltation of the English language. Read about the key events and linguistic developments that took place during Early Modern English.