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Special Thanks
I am extremely grateful to the many members of the editorial and production staff at John Wiley
and Sons who guided us through the challenging steps of developing this text. Their tireless enthu-
siasm, professional assistance, and endless patience smoothed the path as I found my way. I thank
in particular Alan Halfen, Senior Editor, who expertly launched and directed the revision; Melissa
Edwards Whelan, Development Editor, for coordinating the development and revision process;
Kristine Ruff, Market Development Manager, for a superior marketing effort, and MaryAlice Skid-
more and Alden Ferrar, Editorial Assistants, for their constant attention to detail. I also thank Trish
McFadden, Senior Production Editor, and Jeanine Furino of Furino Production for expertly help-
ing me through the production process. I thank Mary Ann Price, Photo Editor, for her unflagging,
always swift work in researching and obtaining many of our text images. I thank Wendy Lai for the
stunning new cover. Thank you to Petra Recter, Vice President and Director for providing guidance
and support to the rest of the team throughout the revision.

Dedication
This edition is dedicated to Betty Ireland, whose legacy of strength, determination, and intellectual
curiosity I now strive to carry forward with loving support from my husband Jeff, and my sons Greg
and Marc.
 About the Author

Aloha! I was born and raised on the East Coast of the US, where I began my education at Lehigh
University. I went on to graduate with a BS and MS from the University of Alabama, and then
later obtained my PhD from Iowa State. I spent many years on Maui, where I taught, learned to
surf and competed in triathlons. My work experience has been broad, including both applied
and basic research in genetics, cell biology, and human physiology. I have taught at colleges
(Iowa State University, University of Hawaii, Maui, and Arkansas State University) as well as
both private and public high schools. Like all professors I have a long list of societies and
awards to my name; however I prefer to focus on teaching. My favorite teaching experiences
revolve around making a difficult concept accessible to a struggling student. When that light
shines from the student’s eyes, I know I have done my job! This book is an extension of those
moments. I have included tested and proven ways to make this material both interesting and
memorable. When I am not teaching, I can be found riding my bike, stand up paddling, or
hanging out with my husband Jeff and my grown sons, Greg and Marc.
Brief Contents
PREFACE iii 15 Nutrition: You Are What You Eat 322

1 What Is Life? 1 16 The Digestive System 343

2 Where Do We Come from and Where Do 17 The Urinary System 365

We Fit? 16
18 The Endocrine System and Development 383
3 Everyday Chemistry of Life 33 19 The Reproductive Systems: Maintaining the
4 Cells: Organization and Communication 57 Species 407

5 Tissues 77 20 Pregnancy: Development from Conception to

Newborn 439
6 The Skeletomuscular System 97
21 Inheritance, Genetics, and Molecular
7 The Nervous System 127 Biology 464
8 The Special Senses 156 A PPE NDIX A Periodic Table A-1

9 Immunity and the Lymphatic System 173 A PPE NDIX B Measurements B-1

10 Infectious Disease and Epidemiology 200

GLOSSARY GL-1
11 The Human Microbiome 226
INDEX I-1
12 Cancer 245

13 The Cardiovascular System 268

14 The Respiratory System: Movement of Air 297

 Contents
1 What Is Life? 1 6 The Skeletomuscular System 97

1.1 Living Organisms Display Nine Specific Characteristics 2 6.1 The Skeletomuscular System Is Multifunctional and
1.2 Human Biology Is Structured and Logical 4 Dynamic 98
1.3 Scientists Approach Questions Using the Scientific 6.2 Bone Is Strong and Light Tissue 100
Method 9 6.3 The Skeleton Holds It All Together 105
1.4 Scientific Findings Often Lead to Ethical Dilemmas 13 6.4 Skeletal Muscles Exercise Power 114
6.5 Whole-Muscle Contractions Require Energy 120
2 Where Do We Come from and
Where Do We Fit? 16 7 The Nervous System 127

2.1 What Are the Origins of Modern Humans? 17 7.1 The Nervous System Is Categorized by Structure and
2.2 What Does the Human Body Have in Common Function 128
with the World Around It? 23 7.2 Neurons Work Through Action Potentials 132
2.3 We Reflect Our Environment: We Have a Habitat 7.3 The Meninges Protect the Brain’s Delicate Structures 139
and a Niche 29 7.4 The Functions of the Brain and Spinal Cord Are
Related 145
3 Everyday Chemistry of Life 33
7.5 The Peripheral Nervous System Extends the
Central Nervous System 150
3.1 Life Has a Unique Chemistry 34
3.2 Water Is Life’s Essential Chemical 41 8 The Special Senses 156
3.3 Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Proteins Provide Form and
Function 43 8.1 The Special Senses Tell Us About Our Environment 157
3.4 Nucleic Acids Carry Information and Direct Protein 8.2 Vision Is Our Most Acute Sense 163
Formation 50 8.3 The Special Senses Are Our Connection to the Outside
World 169

4 Cells: Organization and

Communication 57
9 Immunity and the Lymphatic
System 173
4.1 The Cell Is Highly Organized and Dynamic 58
4.2 The Cell Membrane Delineates the Cell 60 9.1 How Do We Adapt to Stress? 174
4.3 The Components of a Cell Are Called Organelles 65 9.2 Skin and Mucous Membranes Are the First Line of
4.4 Cell Communication Is Important to Cellular Success 73 Defense 177
9.3 We Have a Second Line of Innate Defense 182

5 Tissues 77
9.4 The Lymphatic System Comprises Our Third Line of
Defense 184
9.5 Specific Immunity Targets Pathogens 189
5.1 Some Tissues Provide Covering, Protection, and
9.6 Immunity Can Be Acquired Actively or Passively 195
Support 78
5.2 Other Tissues Provide Movement, Heat, and
Integration 84 10 Infectious Disease and
5.3 Organization Increases with Organs, Organ Systems, Epidemiology 200
and the Organism 88
5.4 Scientists Use a Road Map to the Human Body 92 10.1 The Study of Epidemics Is Global in Scope 201
10.2 Bacteria Are Single-Celled Wonders That Can Cause
Disease 205
10.3 Viruses Can Reproduce and Kill, but They Are Not Alive 211
10.4 AIDS and HIV Attack the Immune System 217
10.5 Other Pathogens Carry Other Dangers 222
x CON T E N TS

11 The Human Microbiome 226 18 The Endocrine System and

Development 383
11.1 What Is the Human Microbiome? 227
11.2 Our Microbiome Helps Maintain Homeostasis 233 18.1 Hormones Are Chemical Messengers 384
11.3 The Microbiome in Diagnoses and Treatments 238 18.2 The Endocrine Glands Secrete Directly into the
Bloodstream 388
12 Cancer 245 18.3 Maintaining Homeostasis Requires Glands, Hormones,
and Feedback 393
12.1 Cancer Cells Develop in Distinct Ways 246 18.4 Development Takes Us from Infancy to Adulthood 401
12.2 Cancer Has Many Causes 251
12.3
12.4
Cancer Can Strike Almost Any Part of the Body 256
Cancer Can Be Diagnosed and Treated Effectively 261
19 The Reproductive Systems: Maintaining
the Species 407

13 The Cardiovascular System 268 19.1 Survival of the Species Depends on Gamete
Formation 408
13.1 The Heart Ensures Continual, 24/7 Nutrient Delivery 269
19.2 The Male Reproductive System Produces, Stores,
13.2 Blood Transport Involves Miles of Sophisticated
and Delivers Sperm 410
Plumbing 278
19.3 The Female Reproductive System Produces and
13.3 Cardiovascular Disorders Have Life-Threatening
Nourishes Eggs 417
Consequences 281
19.4 Human Reproductive Cycles Are Controlled By
13.4 Blood Consists of Plasma and Formed Elements 285
Hormones 422
13.5 Red Blood Cells and Platelets Help Maintain
19.5 There Are Many Birth Control Choices 428
Homeostasis 290
19.6 Sexual Contact Carries a Danger: Sexually Transmitted
Diseases 435
14 The Respiratory System: Movement
of Air 297 20 Pregnancy: Development from
14.1 The Respiratory System Has an Upper And Lower Tract 298
Conception to Newborn 439
14.2 The Lower Respiratory Tract Exchanges Gases 302
20.1 Days 1 Through 14 Include Fertilization and
14.3 Air Is Moved Into and Out of the Respiratory System 308
Implantation 440
14.4 Respiration Relies on the Cardiovascular System 311
20.2 The Embryonic Stage Is Marked by Differentiation
14.5 Respiratory Health Is Critical to Survival 315
and Morphogenesis 446
20.3 Fetal Development Is a Stage of Rapid Organ Growth 452
15 Nutrition: You Are What You Eat 322 20.4 Labor Initiates the End of Pregnancy 457

15.1 Nutrients Are Life Sustaining 323

15.2 Nutrients Are Metabolized 332
21 Inheritance, Genetics, and Molecular
15.3 Health Can Be Hurt by Nutritional Disorders 336 Biology 464

16 The Digestive System 343

21.1
21.2
Traits Are Inherited in Specific Patterns 465
Modern Genetics Uncovers a Molecular Picture 471
21.3 Genetic Theory Is Put to Practical Use 474
16.1 Digestion Begins in the Oral Cavity 344
21.4 Biotechnology Has Far-Reaching Effects 479
16.2 The Stomach Puts Food to the Acid Test 349
21.5 Biotechnology Assists in Medical and Societal Issues 484
16.3 The Intestines and Accessory Organs Finish the Job 352
16.4 Digestion Is Both Mechanical and Chemical 360
A PPE NDIX A Periodic Table A-1

17 The Urinary System 365

A PPE NDIX B Measurements B-1

17.1 The Kidneys Are the Core of the Urinary System 366 GLOSSARY GL-1
17.2 Urine Is Made, Transported, and Stored 369
17.3 The Urinary System Maintains the Body’s Fluid and INDEX I-1
Solute Balance 375
17.4 Life-Threatening Diseases Affect the Urinary System 378
   CONT ENTS xi

InSight Features Process Diagram

These multipart visual presentations focus on a key concept These series or combinations of figures and photos des­cribe
or topic in the chapter. and depict a complex process.
Chapter 2 Chapter 1
Biogeographic Distribution The Scientific Method
Chapter 3 Chapter 2
The Atom • DNA is composed of nucleotides Energy Flow and Resource Cycling • Photosynthesis/respiration
Chapter 4 Chapter 3
The Animal Cell The Making of a Protein • Transcription and translation
Chapter 5 Chapter 4
The Abdominopelvic Regions Mitochondrial Reactions
Chapter 6 Chapter 6
Skeletomuscular Systems Endochondral Ossification • Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ)
Chapter 7 Chapter 7
The Human Brain Neuron Action Potential
Chapter 8 Chapter 8
Human Hearing Photoreceptor Impulse Generation
Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Lymphatic Flow Lysogenic and Lytic Viral Phases • HIV Reproduction
Chapter 10 Chapter 11
Bacteria • Viruses Bacterial Biofilm Actions • Metagenomics Information
Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Microbiome Location and Common Gut Bacteria Benign Tumor Formation
Chapter 12 Chapter 13
Carcinogenesis The Cardiac Cycle • Conduction System of the Heart • Capillary Bed
and Exchange Flow • Clot Formation
Chapter 13
The Adult Heart Chapter 14
Inhalation: The Diaphragm Drops and Volume Increases • Carbon
Chapter 14
­Dioxide Transport in Blood
The Human Lung
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, and Electron Transport
Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Phases of Gastric Digestion
The Small Intestine
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Glomerular Filtration
The Kidney
Chapter 19
Chapter 18
The Development of the Follicle in the Ovary • Female Reproductive
The Hypothalamus and the Pituitary Gland
Cycle
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Sperm Formation (Spermatogenesis) • Egg Formation ­(Oogenesis)
Implantation and the Primary Events of the Second Week of
Chapter 20 Development
Fertilization
Chapter 21
Chapter 21 Mitosis • Meiosis
Let’s Work with DNA: Splitting and Creating the Key Molecule of Life
This page intentionally left blank
Halfpoint / Shutterstock.com
CHAPTER 1

What Is Life?
CHAPTER OUTLINE

Living Organisms Display Nine Specific

­Characteristics 2
• Living Things Must Maintain Homeostasis
Every day there is a new report on how to maintain or improve your health. These Health, Wellness, and Disease: Homeostasis Is a
reports are changing the way we think about our health. As proof of this, look at Way of Life!
the rise in popularity of personal fitness tracking devices. Between Fitbit’s launch
• Homeostasis Helps an Organism Stay Alive
in 2009 and the introduction of four new devices in 2016, Fitbit has become a
multi-­billion dollar industry. Obviously people are interested. Does a monitor- Human Biology Is Structured and Logical 4
ing device that tracks your every movement really help you improve your over- • Organisms Are Structured
all health? That remains to be seen, with current research indicating that activity
• Biological Classification Is Logical
trackers do little to motivate otherwise non-athletic people to take up any form
of exercise. Perhaps the largest benefit of these devices is the interest they have I Wonder… Are Viruses Considered Living
generated in personal health. Organisms?
It is a great idea to try to monitor and improve your fitness, but wading
Scientists Approach Questions Using the
through the incredible amount of literature and propaganda on health-related
Scientific Method 9
issues can be daunting. To really
understand what is being pre- • The Scientific Method Leads to Theories
sented, you must be able to sci- • Critical Reasoning Is Useful in Human Biology
entifically evaluate advertising Ethics and Issues: Why Should Endangered Species
claims, medical breakthroughs, Matter to Me?
and social media hype. Taking
advantage of the critical think- Scientific Findings Often Lead to Ethical
ing guides throughout this book Dilemmas 13
will help you practice the skills
needed to become a knowledge-
able consumer! Daxiao Productions / Shutterstock

1
2 CHA PT E R 1 What Is Life?

1.1 Living Organisms Display Nine Specific Characteristics

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. List the characteristics of life.
2. Define homeostasis and relate it to the study of life.
3. Describe how homeostasis plays a role in everyday activities.
4. Contrast negative and positive feedback systems.
Reflect on the start of your day. It has demonstrated many of the char-
acteristics of life (Table 1.1). Several of these characteristics appeared
during your first minutes of awakening. Life is defined by the ability to
respond to external stimuli (remember waking to the alarm?). Objects
that are alive can alter their environment, as you did by silencing the
dreadful noise. You sensed your environment when you felt the chill
of the morning, then you adapted to your environment by covering
yourself with clothes to maintain your internal temperature. Living
things require energy, which plants get by synthesizing compounds
using solar power and which animals get by ingesting nutrients, aka
breakfast. All of us are proof that living organisms reproduce. On the
average foggy-headed morning, you undoubtedly failed to notice
three other characteristics of life: (1) Life is composed of materials
found only in living objects (your body contains proteins, lipids, car-
bohydrates, and nucleic acids—DNA and RNA); (2) living organisms
maintain a stable internal environment, a property called homeosta-
sis; and (3) life exhibits a high degree of organization, which extends
from microscopic units, called cells, in increasingly complex tissues,
organs, organ systems, and individual organisms.
Living Things Must Maintain Homeostasis
One key element of life is homeostasis, a word that means “stay-
ing the same” (homeo = unchanging; stasis = standing). Humans,

TA BLE 1 .1 Characteristics of life

Respond to external stimuli Adapt to the environment Contain materials found only in living organisms
Joel Sartore / NG
Image Collection

Science Source
Dr. Tim Evans /
Masterfile

Alter the environment Use energy Maintain a constant internal environment

(homeostasis)
Harper / Getty Images, Inc.

Skip Brown / NG Image

Image Source / John

Stacy Gold / NG Image

Collection

Collection

Sense the environment Reproduce Have a high degree of organization

Photodisc / Rubberball /
The Image Works
Joel Sartore / NG
Image Collection

Richard Lord /

Getty Images

cell The smallest unit of life, contained in a membrane or cell wall. organ system A group of organs that perform a broad biological function,
tissue A cohesive group of similar cells performing a specific function. such as respiration or reproduction.
organ A structure composed of more than one tissue having one or more
specific functions.
 Living Organisms Display Nine Specific Characteristics 3

Health, Wellness, and Disease

Homeostasis Is a Way of Life!

We have all felt tired or “out of sorts” at one time or another. Often, when
we experience these episodes, we are functioning under a slight homeo-
static imbalance. One accepted definition of disease is, in fact, a homeo-
static imbalance with distinct signs and symptoms. Symptoms are the
series of complaints we generate when we begin to feel ill. They include
headache, nausea, fatigue, and muscle aches. Signs are the changes in
bodily function that can be detected by a medical professional. Signs
of homeostatic imbalance usually include a full description of the
blood chemistry of the individual as well as tests of hormone levels and
function.
There are many examples of subtle homeostatic imbalances that, if left
unchecked, can lead to serious complications. For example, feeling tired may
be due to a lack of oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood, a condition known
as anemia. Adding iron to your diet might be all that is needed to reduce
chronic fatigue.
Some people require regular food intake to maintain their homeostatic
sugar balance. If they wait too long between meals, they may experience ner-

Design Pics / SuperStock

vousness, sweating, trembling, and inability to concentrate, all caused by low
blood sugar. Hypoglycemia is the clinical diagnosis for this. The brain responds
very strongly to the lack of sugar, and will intensify feelings of hunger so that
blood sugar does not reach critical levels. If there is no food immediately avail-
able, blood sugar may drop below 50 mg/dl causing more serious complica-
tions such as confusion, drowsiness, coma, or seizure.
Recent studies show that the onset of Alzheimer’s disease may be
heightened by an imbalance of the copper, iron, and zinc ions in the brain.
Treatment for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease includes restoring metal
homeostasis. Patients whose metal balance is regulated experience a slower
progression of the disease.

along with other organisms, can function properly only if they stay
within narrow ranges of temperature and chemistry. Homeosta-
sis allows you to respond to changes in your internal environment
by modifying some aspect of your behavior, either consciously or
unconsciously. When you are chilled, you consciously look for ways
to warm yourself. This morning, you clothed yourself in an attempt
to remain warm. If your clothing was not enough, your body would
begin to shiver to generate internal heat through chemical reactions.
Blood vessels near the surface of your skin would constrict and carry
less blood, thereby reducing heat loss through radiation. These
changes are attempts to maintain homeostasis. Each response to the
chill is designed to remove or negate that feeling, in a typical nega-
tive feedback loop. (See Health, Wellness, and Disease: Homeostasis
Is a Way of Life!)
Homeostasis Helps an Organism Stay Alive
Homeostasis helps an organism stay alive, often through the use
of feedback systems, or loops, as shown in Figure 1.1. The most
common type of feedback system in the human is negative feed-
back. Negative feedback systems operate to reduce or eliminate
the changes detected by the stimulus receptor. Negative feed-
back prevents you from breathing fast enough to pass out or from
drinking so much water that your blood chemistry becomes dan-
gerously unbalanced. Positive feedback systems are rare in the
body and include childbirth and blood clotting. The response in a
positive feedback system serves to amplify the original stimulus.
Feedback is so important that we will return to it when we discuss
each organ system.

radiation The transfer of heat from a warm body to the surrounding

atmosphere.
4 CHA PT E R 1 What Is Life?

FIGURE 1.1 Feedback loop A simple homeostatic

feedback loop has three main components that function Concept Check
as a whole to manipulate the environment.
1. How do you display characteristics that indicate you are living?
Some stimulus
2. Why might a biologist want to understand the normal homeostatic ranges
disrupts homeostasis by
increasing or decreasing of her study subject?
a controlled condition
that is monitored by 3. How does homeostasis play a role in everyday activities?
4. What type of feedback is exemplified by the maintenance of blood calcium
levels within a small range?

Receptors
that monitor the environment
and report perceived
changes by sending

Input Nerve impulses or

chemical signals to a

Control center There is a return to

homeostasis when the
response brings the
controlled condition back
that receives the signal from
to normal. The response
the receptor and formulates
in a negative feedback
a response that provides
loop decreases the initial
disruption.

Output Nerve impulses or

chemical signals to

Effectors
that carry out the response
from the control center
bringing about a change.

Response then alters the

initial condition
(negative feedback
negates it, while positive
feedback enhances it).

1.2 Human Biology Is Structured and Logical

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Explain how atoms, and therefore the entire field of
chemistry, relate to the study of life.
2. Describe the organizational pattern of all biology and the
logic of taxonomy.
3. Relate taxonomy to human biology.
4. List the five processes that are most helpful in studying
human physiology.
One of the oldest techniques for dealing with our world is to categorize it
and divide it into manageable chunks. Imagine trying to understand this
paragraph if the sentences were not divided into words through the use
of spaces. Similarly, the natural world seems overwhelming and cha-
otic until we organize it. Biology is organized in steps, from microscopic
to macroscopic: Small units make up larger units, which in turn form
still larger units. We see this in both artificial and natural organization in
biology. In artificial classification (taxonomy), a system of names is used
to identify organisms and show their genetic relationship.
These names identify individual species and also group organisms,
based on similar characteristics. The categories from species through
genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, and domain indicate
groups of similar organisms, with each category broader than the last.
Organisms Are Structured
Natural organization emerges from the structure of organisms. Both
natural and artificial organization help us make sense of the living
world. Natural organization appears in the human body as it does in
the rest of the living realm. Natural organization is based on a system
of increasing complexity. Each level in the hierarchy is composed of
 Human Biology Is Structured and Logical 5

groups of simpler units from the previous level, arranged to perform
a specific function. The smallest particles that usually matter in biol-
ogy are atoms, as shown in Figure 1.2. An atom is defined as the
smallest unit of an element that has the properties of that element.
Atoms combine to form molecules−larger units that can have entirely
different properties than the atoms they contain. You already know
some of the molecules we will discuss, such as water, glucose, and
DNA. Molecules combine to form cells, which are the smallest unit of
life. We will take a closer look at cells in Chapter 4. Groups of similar
cells with similar function combine to form tissues.
The human body has four major tissue types: muscular, nervous,
epithelial, and connective. Tissues working together form organs, such
as the kidney, stomach, liver, and heart. Organs with the same general
function combine to form organ systems. For example, the respiratory
system includes organs that work together to exchange gas between
cells and the atmosphere; organs in the skeletal system support the
body and protect the soft internal organs. A suite of organ systems
combine to form the human organism. Notice that each layer of com-
plexity involves a group of related units from the preceding layer. This
type of hierarchy is found throughout biology and the natural world.
Taking a global view of the organization found in the natural
world, we see that the concept of hierarchy does not stop at the indi-
vidual. The individual human organism lives in groups of humans
called populations, as shown in Figure 1.3. Beyond populations are
larger and more inclusive groups called communities, ecosystems,
biomes and the biosphere.

FIGURE 1.2 Hierarchy of organization of life In the hierarchy of biology, each level gains in complex-
ity, and demonstrates new properties. These emergent properties arise as smaller units interact, with
consequences unattainable by the previous level.

1 CHEMICAL LEVEL 2 CELLULAR LEVEL

(cardiac cell)

3 TISSUE LEVEL
(myocardium)

Atoms (carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen
and nitrogen are Molecule (DNA)
the most common
elements in 4 ORGAN LEVEL
biological 5 ORGAN SYSTEM (heart)
organisms) LEVEL (Cardiovascular
system)

6 ORGANISM LEVEL
Homo sapiens

Photodisc / Rubberball / Getty Images

Natural organization: from atom to organism

1  Chemical level: the chemical “­components” that are arranged into cells (atoms to molecules)
2  Cellular level: the smallest unit of life; a component bounded by a membrane or cell wall; in multicellular organisms, cells are
usually specialized to perform specific functions (for example, cardiac muscle cell)
3 Tissue level: an assemblage of ­similar cells (for example, cardiac muscle tissue, myocardium)
4 Organ level: an assemblage of ­tissues that often have several ­functions (for example, heart)
5 Organ system level: the group of organs that carries out a more generalized set of functions (for example, cardiovascular system)
6 Organism level: Homo sapiens

population All representatives of a specific organism found in a defined area.

 6 CHA PT E R 1 What Is Life?

FIGURE 1.3 Hierarchy of life beyond the individual Living organisms are grouped beyond the indi-
vidual, to include populations, communities, ecosystems, and the all-inclusive biosphere.
James L. Stanfield / NG Image Collection

Raga Jose Fuste / Prisma / SuperStock

a. Individual or species b. Human Population
Populations are composed of all individuals of a given species in a specified area.
Dugald Bremner Studio / NG Image Collection

Raymond Gehman / NG Image Collection

c. Biological Community d. Ecosystem
Human populations live in concert with populations of other organ- Communities are united in geographic areas, interacting with one another and the
isms, interacting in a larger concept called the community. physical environment in a biome. Earth has many biomes, such as the open ocean,
high sierra, desert, and tropical rain forest.
Todd Gipstein / NG Image Collection

e. Biosphere
Finally, all Earth’s biomes comprise the biosphere.
 Human Biology Is Structured and Logical 7

Biological Classification Is Logical
Biology tries to make sense of myriad observations of the biosphere
by classifying organisms into groups with similar characteristics.
The branch of science that deals with this organizational scheme is
called taxonomy. One of the best-accepted taxonomic schemes
starts from the most inclusive, with three domains and six kingdoms
(see ­Figure 1.4). The domain Eukarya includes organisms whose
cells contain nuclei and internal membranes. The four kingdoms in
Eukarya are Animalia (the animals), Plantae (the plants), Fungi (the
fungi), and Protista (the one-celled organisms that possess nuclei).
The two remaining kingdoms are the prokaryotic Eubacteria and
­Archaebacteria (the bacteria and other one-celled organisms without
nuclei). It is worth noting that unlike bacteria, viruses are not classi-
fied as ­living−see I Wonder… Are Viruses Considered Living Organisms?
on the next page.
Each kingdom is further classified, based on similar characteris-
tics, into divisions that get ever more narrow: phylum, class, order,
family, genus, and species. Each category defines the organisms
more tightly, resulting in a hierarchy of similarity. The final category,
species, implies reproductive isolation, meaning (with very few excep-
tions) that members of a particular species can produce viable and
fertile offspring only if they breed with each other.
Taxonomists capitalize the first letter of all classification terms
except species (Homo sapiens). The species name is always preceded
by the entire genus name, unless you have just mentioned the genus;
then you can abbreviate it: “In regard to Homo sapiens, we must note
that H. sapiens . . .” Genus and species names are either underlined or
written in italics, as shown in Figure 1.5.
Each successive category refines the characteristics of “human”
to the point where only humans are classified in the final category,
Homo sapiens. Despite the amazingly complex and pervasive cultural

FIGURE 1.4 Domains and kingdoms There are three Domains into which all living organisms are
classified.

Think Critically
Earliest Organisms
This figure indicates that there are basic similarities between fungi and
animals, as well as at least one major difference. What characteristic
might that branch indicate? Make a table of the similarities and differ-
ences between fungi and animals, choose the difference that you believe
to be most important, and defend that choice.

Eubacteria Archaebacteria Eukarya

Domains
(prokaryotes) (prokaryotes) (eukaryotes)

Bacteria Protozoans Animals Fungus Plants

that live + algae
in extreme
Bacteria conditions Protista Animalia Fungi Plantae Kingdoms

From left to right: NIAID / CDC / Science Source; T. Stevens & P. McKinley, PNNL / Science Source; Dr. Richard Kessel / Getty Images;
Beverly Joubert / NG Image Collection; Norbert Rosing / NG Image Collection; Raymond Gehman / NG Image Collection

taxonomy The study of classification, based on structural similarities and species A precise taxonomic classification, consisting of organisms that
common ancestry. can breed and produce offspring capable of breeding.
kingdom A high-level taxonomic classification. viable Capable of remaining alive.
8 CHA PT E R 1 What Is Life?

I Wonder . . .

Are Viruses Considered Living Organisms?

Viruses are among the smallest agents that can cause disease, and they
cause some of the worst diseases around. Scientists think that smallpox,
caused by the variola virus, killed more people in the past few centuries
than all wars combined. HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, is thought to
cause AIDS, whose death toll continues to mount year after year.
Because viruses are less than 1 micron (millionth of a meter) across,
they were not discovered until early in the 19th century. Viruses are much
smaller than bacteria, which are single-celled organisms that are truly alive.
We know viruses can kill. To determine whether they are alive, we
refer to the required characteristics of life, and we observe that viruses lack
many of them, such as:
• Cells (a virus is basically a protein coat surrounding a few genes, made
The colorized blue cells
of either DNA or RNA);
in this photograph are
• The ability to reproduce; surrounded by very small,
• The ability to metabolize or respire; and circular viral particles. The

Dr. Gopal Murti / Getty Images

tremendous size difference
• A mechanism to store or process energy.
between typical cells and
Viruses can reproduce but only if they can slip inside a host cell and seize viruses is evident here. The
control of its internal machinery. Viruses are more complex than prions, the picture shows the corona
distorted proteins that cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy—mad virus, the cause of the com-
cow disease. However, viruses are far simpler than even a bacterial cell. So mon cold, and the magnifi-
although viruses are not alive, they are the ultimate parasite. cation is TEM X409,500.

FIGURE 1.5 Human taxonomy Meet your human taxonomy

Meet your human taxonomy:

KINGDOM PHYLUM CLASS ORDER

Animalia
(all multicellular organisms that
ingest nutrients rather than
synthesize them)
Vertebrata
(all animals with a vertebral col-
umn or dorsal hollow notocord—
a structure along the back of
animals—that protects their
central nervous system)
Mammalia
(all vertebrates with placental
development, mammary glands,
hair or fur, and a tail located
past the anus)
Primates
(mammals adapted to life in
trees, with opposable thumbs)

FAMILY GENUS SPECIES

Hominidae Homo H. sapiens
(primates that move primarily with bipedal— (hominids with large (The only living organisms in our species,
two-footed—locomotion) brain cases, or skulls) with a unique set of combined characteristics
from our family [bipedal], order [opposable
From left to right: George Grall / NG Image Collection; Tim Laman / NG Image Collection; Joel Sartore / NG Image Collection; thumbs], and genus [large brain case])
Karine Aigner / NG Image Collection; Kenneth Garrett / NG Image Collection; Kenneth Garrett / NG Image Collection; Mark Cosslett/
NG Image Collection

differences that exist between populations of humans, we are all
members of the same species.
It is human nature to group similar ideas, processes, and organ-
isms to make sense of the seemingly complex world in which we live.
Just as there are characteristics that can be identified as common to
all life forms in the domain Eukarya, there are basic processes that
can be identified as common to the study of human physiology. There
are arguably five basic processes on which human physiology hinges:
osmosis and diffusion, energy transfer and storage, protein function-
ing, DNA actions, and cellular structure and function.
Osmosis and diffusion appear in Chapter 4. These processes are
integral in the respiratory, digestive, urinary, and nervous systems.
Energy transfer and storage are all about chemical bonds. The flow
of energy through the biological world, introduced in Chapters 2 and
3, relies on this simple process. Humans are composed of both struc-
tural and functional proteins, introduced in Chapter 3. Structural
proteins protect and maintain organ shape, hold our skin in place,
and provide flexibility to bone. Functional proteins are the basis of
digestion, oxygen transport, muscle contraction, immunology, endo-
crinology, and even reproduction. DNA is introduced in Chapter 3
and discussed in greater detail in Chapter 21. Molecular biology is
1.3 Scientists Approach Questions Using the Scientific Method
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. List the steps in the scientific method in order.
2. Define hypothesis and theory.
Science is a field with specific goals and rules. The overall goals are to
provide sound theories regarding the phenomena we observe, using
rules embodied by the scientific method. When a question arises
about the natural world, the scientific method provides the accepted,
logical path to the answer, as shown in Figure 1.6.
A scientific experiment is an exercise in logic: Our goal is to prove
our hypothesis wrong. In the example below, our hypothesis is that
the rooster’s crow causes the sun to rise within the next 20 ­minutes.
How could we test this hypothesis? Could we force the rooster to crow
at midnight and wait 20 minutes for a glow on the eastern horizon?
Could we prevent the rooster from crowing in the morning? In either
case, if the sun rose as usual, our hypothesis would be disproved, and
we would need to find a better hypothesis.
This silly example shows how scientists may manipulate factors
that (according to the hypothesis) seem related to the observation,
all in an attempt to disprove the hypothesis. We develop a hypothe-
sis using inductive reasoning−creating a general statement from our
variable A factor that can be changed in an experiment to test whether
and how it affects the outcome.
Scientists Approach Questions Using the Scientific Method 9
the backbone of inheritance, evolution, and biotechnology. Cellu-
lar structure and function is the topic of Chapter 4. Understanding
how organelles function and what differentiates cell types underlies
every process we will study. As you go through the physiology pre-
sented in this book, the basic underlying process will be indicated.
This will make it easier for you to understand the larger, more com-
plicated processes by allowing you to relate them to their most basic
components.
Concept Check
1. How do atoms relate to the study of life?
2. What is the largest taxonomic group that apes and humans share? What is
the smallest taxonomic group they share?
3. What can you discover about an organism by comparing its full taxonomic
classification to that of a human?
4. How will mastering protein functioning help in understanding other
processes?
observations. We design the experiment, however, with deductive
reasoning, moving from the general hypothesis to a specific situation.
An “if, then” statement is an ideal basis for a scientific experiment:
“If situation A (rooster crows) occurs, then result B (sunrise) will fol-
low.” In our experiment, we changed situation A and monitored any
changes in result B.
When designing and running an experiment, we must control
all potential variables. Otherwise, we cannot draw any valid conclu-
sions. In the rooster example, it would be a good idea to muzzle all
nearby roosters. Otherwise, how would we know whether our bird or
a bird in the next chicken coop had caused the sunrise? Similarly, in
testing new medicines, scientists use a “double-blind” experiment:
Only the scientist knows whether each research participant is getting
real medicine or a fake, called a “placebo.” Neither the patients nor
the prescribing doctor know whether the patient is being given the
drug or a placebo. This prevents expectations that the drug will work
from actually causing a change in the participant’s health. The placebo
effect can be powerful, but the goal is to test the drug, not the research
participant’s expectations.
Finally, our hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable. If we can-
not think of a situation where we could disprove it, there is no experi-
ment to devise. Learning to assess situations with the scientific method
takes some practice, but it’s a skill that can be useful throughout life.
10 CHA PT E R 1 What Is Life?

PROCESS DIAGRAM FIGURE 1.6 The scientific method The scientific method is rooted in logic. If we can show that our
hypothesis does not apply to even one situation, then our hypothesis is wrong. After we analyze the data
and draw conclusions, we may have to throw out our hypothesis or conclude that it applies to a more
limited range of circumstances.

OBSERVE OBSERVE
Recognize problem
or unanswered question.

HYPOTHESIZE
Develop hypothesis
to explain problem. HYPOTHESIZE
Rooster crow
causes sunrise
Make predictions based on hypothesis.

Adapted from Visualizing Environmental Science by Linda R. Berg and Mary

EXPERIMENT

EXPERIMENT
Design and perform
experiment to test hypothesis.

Catherine Hager, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Copyright 2007

No. Yes.

COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA

COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA

Sun rise
10

(days)
Analyze and interpret data
to reach conclusions.
0 Alive Dead
Does hypothesis predict reality? rooster rooster

New knowledge results

in new questions. COMMUNICATE

COMMUNICATE
The sun rises even
Share new knowledge if no rooster crows.
with other scientists.

Let’s take an example from human biology to show the process
of testing a hypothesis. Have you seen those hand lotions that claim
to be “skin firming”? Sounds great, but how would we test this claim?
Under the scientific method, we consider the marketing claim to
be the observation, so we must develop a testable hypothesis from
the observation: “Using this hand cream for one month will cause
measurable tightening of the skin on the back of the hand.” Now we
restate the hypothesis as an “if, then” statement: “If the cream does
firm the skin, then using the cream on the back of the hand for one
month will reduce the skin-fold measurement.” This is a testable
statement that lends itself to controlled experimentation. First, we
will assess each person’s skin tautness by measuring the amount
of skin that can be pulled up on the back of the hand. Then we will
randomly divide the participants into two groups: a control group
and an experimental group. We will treat each group in an identical
manner, except that the control group will use Brand X hand cream
without the firming agent, and the experimental group will get Brand
X with the firming agent. After using the cream for one month, we
will repeat the skin-fold measurements and analyze our data, look-
ing for changes in skin tautness between the two groups as evidence
for either accepting or refuting the hypothesis. If the experimental
group displays an increase in tautness that would occur by chance
in less than 1 experiment in 20, the change is said to have statisti-
cal ­significance, and the hypothesis is supported: The cream does
tighten the skin.
It is important to note that any conclusions drawn from a scien-
tific experiment must be supported by the data. If the results of your
experiment could have happened by chance, you cannot say that the
results were due to the experimental design. In that case, a new exper-
iment must be designed and run.
Because biologists cannot always control all factors, or variables,
that might affect the outcome, they often use observation as a form of

statistical significance An experimental result that would occur by chance

in less than 1 experiment in 20; the accepted level in modern science.

experimentation. If you were interested in the effects of mercury on
the human brain, it would not be ethical to dose people with mercury,
but you could perform an observational study. You could measure
blood levels of mercury, or you could ask your research participants
about past diet. (Food, especially fish, is the major source of mercury
exposure.) Then you would use statistical tests to look for a relation-
ship between mercury exposure and intelligence. Finally, you could
try to confirm or refute your results with controlled experiments in
lab animals. Does mercury make rats faster or slower at negotiating a
maze (a standard test for rat intelligence)? Observational studies are
also a mainstay of field biology.
The Scientific Method Leads to Theories
Observation, experimentation, and analysis are the basis for scien-
tific reasoning. Once a group of related hypotheses have survived
rigorous testing without being disproved, they are accepted as a
theory. Theories are not facts but rather extremely well supported
explanations of the natural world that nobody has disproved. To a
scientist, a theory is much more than a hypothesis or a belief−it’s our
best effort to date to explain nature. Many fields of science may be
involved in supporting a theory. The theory of evolution through nat-
ural selection, for example, is supported by taxonomists, geologists,
paleontologists, geneticists, and even embryologists. Many scientists
have tried, but none has refuted the basic hypothesis first described
by Charles Darwin in 1859. We will discuss another key theory, the
cell theory, in Chapter 4.
Science is not a perfect, set-in-stone answer to questions about
the natural world but rather a dynamic, ever-changing collection of
ideas. New information can change or destroy accepted explana-
tions for the natural world. For example, doctors once blamed con-
tagious disease on ill humors, miasmas, and evil spirits. Through
the work of 19th-century biologist Louis Pasteur, it became clear
that many diseases were caused by microscopic organisms. In his
breakthrough experiment, Pasteur sterilized some grape juice and
showed that it did not ferment into wine. Then he added yeast, and
the juice fermented. When Pasteur showed through experiment that
invisible organisms can also cause disease, he helped establish the
germ theory of disease. Although it’s called a theory, the germ theory
is the universally accepted scientific explanation for infectious dis-
ease. More recently, the accepted role of the cell nucleus has come
into question. Based on experiments, biologists used to consider the
nucleus the cell’s control center, but new evidence suggests that it
actually functions more like a library for genetic data. The actual
control of gene expression and cellular activity seems to reside out-
side the nucleus, in specific RNA molecules. The theory of nuclear
control in the cell is under serious scrutiny, and further experiments
could alter it.
Scientific studies are part of the daily news. As technology
advances, humans confront scientific hypotheses and experimen-
tal results almost every day. We see advertisements for new drugs.
theory A general uniting principle of science, upheld by observation and
many experiments.
Scientists Approach Questions Using the Scientific Method 11
We hear that fossil fuels are warming the globe. We see countless
new technologies in the field of consumer electronics. In medicine,
we hear about a steady stream of new surgeries and wonder drugs.
We are told of many ways in which humans are causing the loss of
rain forests, coral reefs, natural forests, and plains, as well as the
animals that live there. We worry about the causes of animal extinc-
tion (see Ethics and Issues: Why Should Endangered Species Matter
to Me? for a discussion of this). About the only way to wade through
the morass of information in the media is to understand and use
the scientific process. Responsible citizens living in technological
cultures sometimes must make decisions about contested scientific
issues they read about in the media. Some reports have linked the
radiation from cell phones to brain tumors, but other reports find
no connection. A few concerned citizens have demanded that man-
ufacturers produce “safer” cell phones, with lower radiation emis-
sions. Can you think of an experiment that would resolve this issue,
at least in principle? Would this be best answered by an observa-
tional or experimental approach? As you read about scientific stud-
ies on current issues, ask yourself: What types of controlled and
observational experiments underlie the claims being made? Are the
experiments convincing?
Critical Reasoning Is Useful in Human
Biology
The ability to question and criticize−for example, our constantly
changing understanding of obesity or the dangers posed by food
additives or environmental chemicals−is useful in many aspects of
human biology. Critically analyze the data, experiments, and claims
before you accept what you read. There are plenty of opinions out
there; don’t accept any until you consider the evidence and reach an
informed decision. Form your own opinion based on what you under-
stand to be true.
In other words, become a critical reasoner! Critical reasoners are
skeptical, logical, and open to new information, enjoying the way it
changes their previous assumptions and ideas. Critical reasoners
question assumptions and stated facts, using logic to arrive at their
own conclusions. They find good analogies for information that they
find to be true, often helping others make sense of the new informa-
tion. Taking on the role of a critical thinker means recognizing that
you don’t have to settle for a story or a very small sample size when
looking for facts about an issue. You should ask yourself, “Were there
enough trials done to see that the results were repeated consistently?”
Also, critical reasoners know that there are limits to certainty but do
not allow this knowledge to prevent them from seeking as full an
understanding of an issue as possible.
People have the ability not only to communicate in complex ways
but also to record the past. We can consult studies, relate current affairs
to similar historical events, and use statistics to support our reasoning.
In so doing, we understand that the past proves the law of unintended
Another random document with
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"Excellent," Herndon said.
Oversk remarked, "You saw the Secretary of State, I suppose. Not
Krellig himself."
"Naturally. Would Krellig let someone like me into his presence?"
Herndon's ears rose at the mention of his enemy's name. He said,
"What's this about the Seigneur?"
"A little deal," Benjin chortled. "I've been doing some very delicate
negotiating while you were away. And I signed the contract today."
"What contract?" Herndon demanded.
"We have a royal patron now, it seems. The Seigneur Krellig has
gone into the starstone business himself. Not in competition with us,
though. He's bought a controlling interest in us."
Herndon felt as if his vital organs had been transmuted to lead. In a
congealed voice he said, "And what are the terms of this
agreement?"
"Simple. Krellig realized the starstone trade, though illegal, was
unstoppable. Rather than alter the legislation and legalize the trade,
which would be morally undesirable and which would also tend to
lower the price of the gems, he asked the Lord Moaris to place him
in contact with some group of smugglers who would work for the
Crown. Moaris, naturally, suggested his brother. Oversk preferred to
let me handle the negotiations, and for the past month I've been
meeting secretly with Krellig's Secretary of State to work out a deal."
"The terms of which are?"
"Krellig guarantees us immunity from prosecution, and at the same
time promises to crack down heavily on our competition. He pledges
us a starstone monopoly, in other words, and so we'll be able to
lower our price to Brennt and jack up the selling price to whatever
the traffic will bear. In return for this we turn over eight per cent of our
gross profits to the Seigneur, and agree to supply him with six
starstones annually, at cost, for the Seigneur to use as gifts to his
enemies. Naturally we also transfer our fealties from the combine to
the Seigneur himself. He holds our controls to assure loyal service."
Herndon sat as if stunned. His hands felt chilled; coldness rippled
through his body. Loyalty to Krellig? His enemy, the person he had
sworn to destroy?
The conflict seared through his mind and body. How could he fulfill
his earlier vow, now that this diametrically opposed one was in
effect? Transfer of fealty was a common thing. By the terms of
Benjin's agreement, Herndon now was a sworn vassal of the
Seigneur.
If he killed Krellig, that would violate his bond. If he served the
Seigneur in all faith, he would break trust with himself and leave
home and parents unavenged. It was an impossible dilemma. He
quivered with the strain of resolving it.
"The spacerogue doesn't look happy about the deal," Oversk
commented. "Or are you sick, Herndon?"
"I'm all right," Herndon said stonily. "It's the cold outside, that's all.
Chills a man."
Fealty to Krellig! Behind his back they had sold themselves and him
to the man he hated most. Herndon's ethical code was based
entirely on the concept of loyalty and unswerving obedience, of the
sacred nature of an oath. But now he found himself bound to two
mutually exclusive oaths. He was caught between them, racked and
drawn apart; the only escape from the torment was death.
He stood up. "Excuse me," he said. "I have an appointment
elsewhere in the city. You can reach me at my usual address if you
need me for anything."

It took him the better part of a day to get to see the Chief Steward of
Moaris Keep and explain to him that he had been unavoidably
detained in the far worlds, and that he fully intended to re-enter the
Moaris' service and perform his duties loyally and faithfully. After
quite some wrangling he was reinstated as one of the Second
Stewards, and given functions to carry out in the daily life of the
sprawling residence that was Moaris Keep.
Several days passed before he caught as much as a glimpse of the
Lady Moaris. That did not surprise him; the Keep covered fifteen
acres of Borlaam City, and Lord and Lady occupied private quarters
on the uppermost level, the rest of the huge place being devoted to
libraries, ballrooms, art galleries, and other housings, for the Moaris
treasures, all of these rooms requiring a daily cleaning by the
household staff.
He saw her finally as he was passing through the fifth-level hallway
in search of the ramp that would take him to his next task,
cataloguing the paintings of the sixth-level gallery. He heard a rustle
of crinoline first, and then she proceeded down the hall, flanked on
each side by copper-colored Toppidan giants and in front and back
by glistening-gowned ladies-in-waiting.
The Lady Moaris herself wore sheer garments that limned the
shapely lines of her body. Her face was sad; it seemed to Herndon,
as he saw her from afar, that she was under some considerable
strain.
He stepped to one side to let the procession go past; but she saw
him, and glanced quickly to the side at which he stood. Her eyes
widened in surprise as she recognized him. He did not dare a smile.
He waited until she had moved on, but inwardly he gloated. It was
not difficult to read the expression in her eyes.
Later that day, a blind Agozlid servant came up to him and silently
handed him a sealed note. Herndon pocketed it, waiting until he was
alone in a corridor that was safe from the Lord Moaris' spy-rays. He
knew it was safe; the spy-ray in that corridor had been defective, and
he himself had removed it that morning, meaning to replace it later in
the day.
He broke the seal. The note said simply: I have waited a month for
you. Come to me tonight; M. is to spend the night at the Seigneur's
palace. Karla will admit you.
The photonically-sensitized ink faded from sight in a moment; the
paper was blank. He thrust it in a disposal hatch, smiling.
He quietly made his way toward the eleventh-level chamber of the
Lady Moaris when the Keep had darkened for the night. Her lady-in-
waiting Karla was on duty, the bronze-haired one who had served as
go-between aboard the Lord Nathiir. Now she wore night robes of
translucent silk; a test of his fidelity, no doubt. Herndon carefully kept
his eyes from her body and said, "I am expected."
"Yes. Come with me."
It seemed to him that the look in her eyes was a strange one: desire,
jealousy, hatred perhaps? But she turned and led him within, down
corridors lit only with a faint nightglow. She nudged an opener; a
door before him flickered and was momentarily nullified. He stepped
through and it returned to the solid state behind him.
The Lady Moaris was waiting.
She wore only the filmiest of gowns, and the longing was evident in
her eyes. Herndon said, "Is this safe?"
"It is. Moaris is away at Krellig's." Her lip curled in a bitter scowl. "He
spends half his nights there, toying with the Seigneur's cast-off
women. The room is sealed against spy-rays. There's no way he can
find out you've been here."
"And the girl—Karla? You trust her?"
"As much as I can trust anyone." Her arms sought his shoulders. "My
rogue," she murmured. "Why did you leave us at Molleccogg?"
"Business of my own, milady."
"I missed you. Molleccogg was a bore without you."
Herndon smiled gravely. "Believe me, I didn't leave you because I
chose to. But I had sworn to carry out duty elsewhere."
She pulled him urgently to her. Herndon felt pity for this lonely
noblewoman, first in rank among the ladies of the court, condemned
to seek lovers among the stewards and grooms.
"Anything I have is yours," she promised him. "Ask for anything!
Anything!"
"There is one prize you might secure for me," Herndon said grimly.
"Name it. The cost doesn't matter."
"There is no cost," Herndon said. "I simply seek an invitation to the
court of the Seigneur. You can secure this through your husband.
Will you do it for me?"
"Of course," she whispered. She clung to him hungrily. "I'll speak to
Moaris—tomorrow."

CHAPTER VI
At the end of the week, Herndon visited the Avenue of Bronze and
learned from Bollar Benjin that sales of the starstones proceeded
well, that the arrangement under royal patronage was a happy one,
and that they would soon be relieved of most of their stock. It would,
therefore, be necessary for him to make another trip to Vyapore
during the next several weeks. He agreed, but requested an
advance of two months' salary.
"I don't see why not," Benjin agreed. "You're a valuable man, and we
have the money to spare."
He handed over a draft for ten thousand stellors. Herndon thanked
him gravely, promised to contact him when it was time for him to
make the journey to Vyapore and left.
That night he departed for Meld XVII, where he sought out the
surgeon who had altered his features after his flight from sacked
Zonnigog. He requested certain internal modifications. The surgeon
was reluctant, saying the operation was a risky one, very difficult,
and entailed a fifty per cent chance of total failure, but Herndon was
stubborn.
It cost him twenty-five thousand stellors, nearly all the money he
had, but he considered the investment a worthy one. He returned to
Borlaam the next day. A week had elapsed since his departure.
He presented himself at Moaris Keep, resumed his duties, and once
again spent the night with the Lady Moaris. She told him that she
had wangled a promise from her husband, and that he was soon to
be invited to court. Moaris had not questioned her motives, and she
said the invitation was a certainty.
Some days later a message was delivered to him, addressed to Barr
Herndon of Zonnigog. It was in the hand of the private secretary to
Moaris, and it said that the Lord Moaris had chosen to exert his
patronage in favor of Barr Herndon, and that Herndon would be
expected to pay his respects to the Seigneur Krellig.
The invitation from the Seigneur came later in the day, borne by a
resplendent Toppidan footman, commanding him to present himself
at the court reception the following evening, on pain of displeasing
the Seigneur. Herndon exulted. He had attained the pinnacle of
Borlaamese success, now; he was to be allowed into the presence
of the sovereign. This was the culmination of all his planning.
He dressed in the court robes that he had purchased weeks before
for just such an event—robes that had cost him more than a
thousand stellors, sumptuous with inlaid precious gems and rare
metals. He visited a tonsorial parlor and had an artificial beard
affixed, in the fashion of many courtiers who disliked growing beards
but who desired to wear them at ceremonial state functions. He was
bathed and combed, perfumed, and otherwise prepared for his debut
at court. He also made certain that the surgical modifications
performed on him by the Meldian doctor would be effective when the
time came.
The shadows of evening dropped. The moons of Borlaam rose,
dancing brightly across the sky. The evening fireworks display cast
brilliant light through the winter sky, signifying that this was the
birthmonth of Borlaam's Seigneur.
Herndon sent for the carriage he had hired. It arrived, a magnificent
four-tube model bright with gilt paint, and he left his shabby dwelling-
place. The carriage soared into the night sky; twelve minutes later, it
descended in the courtyard of the Grand Palace of Borlaam, that
monstrous heap of masonry that glowered down at the capital city
from the impregnable vantage-point of the Hill of Fire.
Floodlights illuminated the Grand Palace. Another man might have
been stirred by the imposing sight; Herndon merely felt an upwelling
of anger. Once his family had lived in a palace too: not of this size, to
be sure, for the people of Zonnigog were modest and unpretentious
in their desires. But it had been a palace all the same, until the
armies of Krellig razed it.
He dismounted from his carriage and presented his invitation to the
haughty Seigneurial guards on duty. They admitted him, after
checking to see that he carried no concealed weapons, and he was
conducted to an antechamber in which he found the Lord Moaris.
"So you're Herndon," Moaris said speculatively. He squinted and
tugged at his beard.
Herndon compelled himself to kneel. "I thank you for the honor your
Grace bestows upon me this night."
"You needn't thank me," Moaris grunted. "My wife asked for your
name to be put on my invitation list. But I suppose you know all that.
You look familiar, Herndon. Where have I seen you before?"
Presumably Moaris knew that Herndon had been employed in his
own service. But he merely said, "I once had the honor of bidding
against you for a captive proteus in the slave market, milord."
A flicker of recognition crossed Moaris' seamed face, and he smiled
coldly. "I seem to remember," he said.
A gong sounded.
"We mustn't keep the Seigneur waiting," said Moaris. "Come."
Together, they went forward to the Grand Chamber of the Seigneur
of Borlaam.
Moaris entered first, as befitted his rank, and took his place to the left
of the monarch, who sat on a raised throne decked with violet and
gold. Herndon knew protocol; he knelt immediately.
"Rise," the Seigneur commanded. His voice was a dry whisper,
feathery-sounding, barely audible and yet commanding all the same.
Herndon rose and stared levelly at Krellig.
The monarch was a tiny man, dried and fleshless; he seemed almost
to be a humpback. Two beady, terrifying eyes glittered from a
wrinkled, world-weary face. Krellig's lips were thin and bloodless, his
nose a savage slash, his chin wedge-shaped.
Herndon let his eyes rove. The hall was huge, as he had expected;
vast pillars supported the ceiling, and rows of courtiers flanked the
walls. There were women, dozens of them: the Seigneur's
mistresses, no doubt.
In the middle of the hall hung suspended something that looked to
be a giant cage, completely cloaked in thick draperies of red velvet.
Some pet of the Seigneur's probably lurked within: a vicious pet,
Herndon theorized, possibly a Villidoni gyrfalcon with honed talons.
"Welcome to the court," the Seigneur murmured. "You are the guest
of my friend Moaris, eh?"
"I am, Sire," Herndon said. In the quietness of the hall his voice
echoed cracklingly.
"Moaris is to provide us all with some amusement this evening,"
remarked the monarch. The little man chuckled in anticipatory glee.
"We are very grateful to your sponsor, the Lord Moaris, for the
pleasure he is to bring us this night."
Herndon frowned. He wondered obscurely whether he was to be the
source of amusement. He stood his ground unafraid; before the
evening had ended, he himself would be amused at the expense of
the others.
"Raise the curtain," Krellig commanded.
Instantly two Toppidan slaves emerged from the corners of the
throneroom and jerked simultaneously on heavy cords that
controlled the curtain over the cage. Slowly the thick folds of velvet
lifted, revealing, as Herndon had suspected, a cage.
There was a girl in the cage.
She hung suspended by her wrists from a bar mounted at the roof of
the cage. She was naked; the bar revolved, turning her like an
animal trussed to a spit. Herndon froze, not daring to move, staring
in sudden astonishment at the slim bare body dangling there.
It was a body he knew well.
The girl in the cage was the Lady Moaris.
Seigneur Krellig smiled benignly; he murmured in a gentle voice,
"Moaris, the show is yours and the audience awaits. Don't keep us
waiting."

Moaris slowly moved toward the center of the ballroom floor. The
marble under his feet was brightly polished and reflected him; his
boots thundered as he walked.
He turned, facing Krellig, and said in a calm, controlled tone, "Ladies
and gentlemen of the Seigneur's court, I beg leave to transact a little
of my domestic business before your eyes. The lady in the cage, as
most of you, I believe, are aware, is my wife."
A ripple of hastily-hushed comment was emitted by the men and
women of the court. Moaris gestured and a spotlight flashed upward,
illuminating the woman in the cage.
Herndon saw that her wrists were cruelly pinioned and that the blue
veins stood out in sharp relief against her pale arms. She swung in a
small circle as the bar above her turned in its endless rotation.
Beads of sweat trickled down her back and down her stomach, and
the harsh sobbing intake of her breath was audible in the silence.
Moaris said casually, "My wife has been unfaithful to me. A trusted
servant informed me of this not long ago: she has cheated me
several times with no less a personage than an obscure member of
our household, a groom or a lackey or some other person. When I
questioned her, she did not deny this accusation. The Seigneur"—
Moaris bowed in a throneward direction—"has granted me
permission to chastise her here, to provide me with greater
satisfaction and you with a moment of amusement."
Herndon did not move. He watched as Moaris drew from his sash a
glittering little heat-gun. Calmly the nobleman adjusted the aperture
to minimum. He gestured; a side of the cage slid upward, giving him
free target.
He lifted the heat-gun.
Flick!
A bright tongue of flame licked out—and the girl in the cage uttered a
little moan as a pencil-thin line was seared across her flanks.
Flick!
Again the beam played across her body. Flick! Again. Lines of pain
were traced across her breasts, her throat, her knees, her back. She
revolved helplessly as Moaris amused himself, carving line after line
along her body with the heat-ray. It was only with an effort that
Herndon held still. The members of the court chuckled as the Lady
Moaris writhed and danced in an effort to escape the inexorable lash
of the beam.
Moaris was an expert. He sketched patterns on her body, always
taking care that the heat never penetrated below the upper surface
of the flesh. It was a form of torture that might endure for hours, until
the blood bubbled in her veins and she died.
Herndon realized the Seigneur was peering at him. "Do you find this
courtly amusement to your taste, Herndon?" Krellig asked.
"Not quite, Sire." A hum of surprise rose that such a newcomer to the
court should dare to contradict the Seigneur. "I would prefer a
quicker death for the lady."
"And rob us of our sport?" Krellig asked.

"I would indeed do that," said Herndon. Suddenly he thrust open his
jewelled cloak; the Seigneur cowered back as if he expected a
weapon to come forth, but Herndon merely touched a plate in his
chest, activating the device that the Meldian had implanted in his
body. The neuronic mesh functioned in reverse; gathering a charge
of deadly force, it sent the bolt surging along Herndon's hand. A
bright arc of fire leaped from Herndon's pointing finger and
surrounded the girl in the cage.
"Barr!" she screamed, breaking her silence at last, and died.

Again Herndon discharged the neuronic force, and Moaris, his hands
singed, dropped his heat-gun.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Herndon said, as Krellig stared
white-faced at him and the nobles of the court huddled together in
fright. "I am Barr Herndon, son of the First Earl of Zonnigog.
Somewhat over a year ago a courtier's jest roused you to lay waste
to your fief of Zonnigog and put my family to the sword. I have not
forgotten that day."
"Seize him!" Krellig shrieked.
"Anyone who touches me will be blasted with the fire," Herndon said.
"Any weapon directed at me will recoil upon its owner. Hold your
peace and let me finish.
"I am also Barr Herndon, Second Steward to Lord Moaris, and the
lover of the woman who died before you. It must comfort you,
Moaris, to know that the man who cuckolded you was no mere
groom, but a noble of Zonnigog.
"I am also," Herndon went on, in the dead silence, "Barr Herndon the
spacerogue, driven to take up a mercenary's trade by the destruction
of my household. In that capacity I became a smuggler of starstones,
and"—he bowed—"through an ironic twist, found myself owing a
debt of fealty to none other than you, Seigneur.
"I hereby revoke that oath of fealty, Krellig—and for the crime of
breaking an oath to my monarch, I sentence myself to death. But
also, Krellig, I order a sentence of death upon your head for the
wanton attack upon my homeland. And you, Moaris—for your cruel
and barbaric treatment of this woman whom you never loved, you
must die too.
"And all of you—you onlookers and sycophants, you courtiers and
parasites, you too must die. And you, the court clowns, the dancing
bears and captive life-forms of far worlds, I will kill you too, as once I
killed a slave proteus—not out of hatred, but simply to spare you
from further torment."
He paused. The hall was terribly silent; then someone to the right of
the throne shouted, "He's crazy! Let's get out of here!"
He dashed for the great doors, which had been closed. Herndon let
him get within ten feet of safety, then blasted him down with a
discharge of life-force. The mechanism within his body recharged
itself, drawing its power from the hatred within him and discharging
through his fingertips.
Herndon smiled at Lord Moaris, pale now. He said, "I'll be more
generous to you than you to your Lady. A quick death for you."
He hurled a bolt of force at the nobleman. Moaris recoiled, but there
was no hiding possible; he stood bathed in light for a moment, and
then the charred husk dropped to the ground.
A second bolt raked the crowd of courtiers. A third Herndon aimed at
the throne; the costly hangings of the throne-area caught first, and
Krellig half-rose before the bolt of force caught him and hurled him
back dead.
Herndon stood alone in the middle of the floor. His quest was at its
end; he had achieved his vengeance. All but the last: on himself, for
having broken the oath he had involuntarily sworn to the Seigneur.
Life held no further meaning for him. It was odious to consider
returning to a spacerogue's career, and only death offered absolution
from his oaths.
He directed a blazing beam of force at one of the great pillars that
supported the throneroom's ceiling. It blackened, then buckled. He
blasted apart another of the pillars, and the third.
The roof groaned; the tons of masonry were suddenly without
support, after hundreds of years. Herndon waited, and smiled in
triumph as the ceiling hurtled down at him.
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