The Clock of Life
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Summary
Why do sunflowers turn with the sun? Why do roosters crow on time? Why does a riverbank change color with the ebb and flow of the tide? By what does the tiny monarch butterfly navigate across mountains and rivers to a habitat thousands of kilometers away? ...
Birth, aging, sickness, and death; flourishing and withering—time runs through life. The answers to these questions about life all relate to the biological clock. The author, a frontline researcher on biological clocks, uses vivid prose and draws widely on legends, history, stories, and literature and art to sketch a brilliant and sweeping picture of biological clocks in nature, leading readers along scientists' painstaking explorations to uncover the mystery of life's timing.
Editor's review
In terms of reading value, the book's distinctive feature is its interdisciplinary perspective. It is not purely a life sciences book but integrates observations from medicine, psychology, and even sociology. It explains in detail how circadian disruption affects metabolism, immunity, and cognitive function—and may even be linked to the development of tumors—providing readers with a scientific framework for understanding their own health.
The editor finds the most illuminating part of the book to be its outlook on time medicine. The author points out that diagnosis and medication guided by biological rhythms may be an important direction for precision medicine in the future. This close integration of basic research with practical application enhances the book's practical value.
In style, Professor Guo Jinhu shows excellent science-writing ability, using vivid metaphors to explain complex regulatory networks—for example, likening clock genes to an orchestra conductor. The book is clearly structured, moving from phenomena to mechanisms and from individuals to social impact, and is well suited to systematic reading.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Popular science enthusiasts with a strong interest in the life sciences and the mysteries of the human body
- Readers concerned with healthy living who want a scientific understanding of daily rhythms
- Students or early-career researchers in medicine or biology
- Readers seeking interdisciplinary knowledge who are interested in chronobiology
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for light leisure reading or fiction
- Senior researchers seeking in-depth professional papers or highly technical content
Reading tips
- Read the first two chapters first to establish basic concepts, then choose later chapters according to interest
- Relate the reading to your own daily rhythms for a more direct experience
- Technical terms are explained in plain language throughout, so don't be deterred by unfamiliar words at first
About the publisher
Shanghai Scientific and Technological Education Publishing House is a professional publisher of science and technology education founded in 1986. It mainly publishes primary and secondary school textbooks, teaching materials, popular science books and academic monographs, and also produces periodicals such as Middle School Science and Technology. Its "Philosopher's Stone Series" is an influential popular science book brand, while the books in the database show a sustained focus on social culture, biography, popular science, social sciences and history. Representative titles include A History of Psychiatry: From the Asylum to Prozac, A Beautiful Mind: The Life of Mathematical Genius and Nobel Laureate John Nash, Journey Through Infinity: A Cultural History of the Infinite, What Is Health: How the Brain Affects High Blood Pressure, Obesity and Addiction, Mathematical Masters: From Zeno to Poincaré, Prime Obsession, The Great Influenza and A General History of Science and Technology (Third Edition). Its contributors include overseas scholars such as Edward Shorter, Sylvia Nasar and Eli Maor, as well as translators and authors such as Han Jianping, Hu Yingchong, Li Yaming, Wang Ershan and Wang Qian, together shaping a publishing profile that bridges academic work and the general public.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 引言 探秘生物钟，从这里出发
- 第一篇 无处不在的生物节律
- 时间、周期与生物节律
- 河滩变色之谜
- 葵花朵朵向太阳
- 作为时钟的康德
- 第二篇 生物节律钟表铺
- 天文学家的生物钟实验
- 用天平和尺子测量时间
- 时间的形状
- 走时不准的生物钟
- 洞穴里的时间
- 寻找生物钟的“发条”
- 生物钟的感光器官
- 生物钟交响乐队
- 基因驱动节律
- 第三篇 生物钟让我们适应环境
- 第四维度的适应
- 太阳罗盘
- 玫瑰的24小时
- 鸟儿的时钟
- 公鸡的江湖
- 共享时光
- 捕捉塞纳河上的光影
- 月亮的孩子
- 收获的时节
- 第四篇 特殊环境里的节律
- 黑暗里的生物钟
- 光明的阴影
- 颠倒的昼夜
- “坏脾气”的南极人和北极人
- 空间里的时间
- 当一天不再是24小时
- 吃药的时间到了
- 第五篇 生物钟与健康
- 夜猫子和百灵鸟
- 令人苦恼的时差
- 节律决定效率
- 异常的睡眠
- 调整凌乱的生物钟
- 新生的时钟
- 衰老的时钟
- 生物节律：科学？伪科学？
- 结语 书架上的时间
- 参考文献
- 后记
FAQ
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About the author
Guo Jinhu is a Chinese popular science author. Public information about him is limited; the works currently confirmed are two titles, Life Beyond Earth and The Clock of Life, both categorized as popular science. Judging from these titles, his writing centers on themes such as life sciences and life in the universe, paying attention to how life exists in the dimensions of time and space: on the one hand, exploring the possibility of Earth life venturing into space; on the other, examining the temporal rhythms of life itself. This choice of subjects shows that he is skilled at starting from everyday scientific understanding and connecting knowledge from fields such as biology and astronomy, guiding readers to reflect on the general laws behind life phenomena. In terms of approach, he organizes content around the core concepts suggested by his book titles and conveys scientific knowledge to general readers, which places his work in the realm of popular science writing for a broad audience. Because public information is limited, his personal background, education, and professional positions cannot be confirmed; the present introduction is based only on the in-house work information and thematic features.
