We think of ourselves as a global species. But our bodies can only survive unsupported on a fraction of the Earth’s surface. We’ve evolved to live in a temperate climate at sea level, yet our relentless desire to explore has pushed up higher and deeper to every corner of the planet. Dr Kevin Fong, To Boldly Go, BBC 2016
The incredible depth of 96 metres – this ability to change our physiology under water is something we share with all mammals – it’s called the Dive Reflex … A sperm whale can reach 3,000 metres. ibid.
[John] Hunter did hundreds of dissections and little by little he built up a detailed knowledge of human anatomy. Genius of Britain V, Channel 5 2010
One of the ultimate challenges for biology is to understand the brain’s processing of unconscious and conscious perception, emotion, and empathy. Eric Kandel