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40 Weeks

What Humans and 81 Other Species Expect When They're Expecting
By Anna Blix
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Brief Description
Matrescene meets the Golden Mole - discover what the animal kingdom expects when it's expecting It takes 40 weeks to grow a human baby. And the relationship between a foetus and a pregnant woman is a little like that of a parasite and its host. One... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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Matrescene meets the Golden Mole - discover what the animal kingdom expects when it's expecting

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Matrescene meets the Golden Mole - discover what the animal kingdom expects when it's expecting

It takes 40 weeks to grow a human baby.

And the relationship between a foetus and a pregnant woman is a little like that of a parasite and its host. One takes and takes, while the other continues to give, risking their health in the process.

Is there a better way?

The Komodo dragon can reproduce via pathogenesis - fertilising its own eggs, so no male is needed.

The Surinam toad harbours live babies in craters under its skin - until they're ready to burst out into the world.

And the hyena . . . Well, best not mention the hyena . . .

Anna Blix takes the reader on a fascinating journey through her own pregnancy, introducing us in each of the 40 weeks to other creatures who have just delivered their next generation into the world.

This fun, informative and personable book provides evolutionary comfort throughout the long haul of pregnancy, and an explanation as to how we ended up here: as the smartest species with a tiresome, but perhaps not so bad, way to reproduce. It could always be worse. Just ask the hyena.

Translated from the Norwegian by Nicola Smalley

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529434811

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 March 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: MacLehose Press

Illustration: 21 b/w illustrations

Contributors:

  • Translated by Nichola Smalley
  • Translated by Nichola Smalley

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 299g

Pages: 304

Collections

Anna Blix Biography & Memoir Education & Reference Health & Wellness Non-Fiction Parenting & Family Science & Nature Self-Help & Personal Development

About the Author

Anna Blix is a biologist, author and political advisor at the Norwegian Parliament. She has long experience as a writer and communicator, and writes a regular column about science for the newspaper Morgenbladet

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