Reading Matters 4:Overview 6
Acknowledgments 8
Introduction to the Second Edition 9
UNIT 1 Creativity 14
Chapter 1 Laughter:The Creative Force 16
The Science of Jokes 17
The Science of Laughter 23
How Laughter Works 32
Chapter 2 Our Creative Brain 35
From Birdby Bird 36
① Children Are Our Best Teachers,Part A 37
Special Talents,Part A 37
② Children Are Our Best Teachers,Part B 39
Special Talents,Part B 39
Mental Breakout 42
UNIT 2 Body Science:Moving in New Directions 50
Chapter 3 Aging 52
Reversing Human Aging 54
Second Thoughts on Extending Life Spans 59
Science Values Grandmothers 67
Chapter 4 Body Shape 71
How We Grew So Big 74
The Gorge-Yourself Environment 80
① Fitness:The One Hour/Day Way 84
Journey to Better Fitness Starts with 10,000 Steps 84
② Fitness:The Six Minutes/Day Way 87
Short Intensive Workouts Are Just as Effective as Long Sessions 88
UNIT 3 The Environment 96
Chapter 5 Natural Disasters 98
The Boxing Day 2004 Tsunami 100
How Hero Saved His Family from Killer Wave 110
Chapter 6 Urban Growth and Water Supply 116
The World Shortage of Water 119
①The Sinking City 125
Water Crisis as Mexico City Sinks Faster than Venice 125
②The Thirsty Kingdom 128
In Jordan,the Feared Mideast Water Shortage Is Already Reality 128
UNIT 4 The Age of Communications 134
Chapter 7 The Internet:Blessing or Curse 137
Invasion of Privacy 139
①Benefits of Online Crime? 147
Fighting Crime One Computer at a Time 148
②Friendship Online? 151
Web Friend or Faux? 152
Chapter 8 Cell Phones:Blessing or Curse 159
Cell Phone:A Convenience,a Hazard,or Both? 161
Cell Phones Have Transformed How We Communicate 166
A World of Difference 170
UNIT 5 Economics 178
Chapter 9 The Economics of Everyday Life 181
Is There Another Way to Pay? 182
Just Swipe It 190
Chapter 10 The Business of Ethics 194
How to Tell Right from Wrong 196
① The Rewards of Ethical Behavior 200
Is Ethics Its Own Reward? 201
②Mixing Business and Morals 203
Can Business and Morals Mix? 203
UNIT 6 The World of Man and Animals 210
Chapter 11 The Lives of Chimps:The Treatment of Animals 213
Chimpanzees in Africa 213
① The Animal in Our World:The Case in Favor 215
The Animal Rights Revolution 215
② The Animal in His World:Where Do Rights Lead? 218
Me Frodo,You Jane? 219
What's Fair is Fair,Even to a Monkey 225
Chapter 12 The Sole of Evolution 227
The Foot:Mother of Humanity 228
End of Foot Evolution? 236
Text Credits 244
Word List 247