In her 8th book, "REPLACEABLE YOU. Adventures in Human Anatomy", science writer Mary Roach dives in with her characteristic verve and infectious wit.
Her travels take her to the OR at a legendary burn unit in Boston, a “superclean” xeno-pigsty in China, and a stem cell “hair nursery” in a San Diego tech hub.
The body is the most complex machine in the world, and the only one for which you cannot get a replacement part from the manufacturer.
For centuries, medicine has reached for what’s available—sculpting noses from brass or making breasts from petroleum by-products.
Today scientists are attempting to grow body parts from scratch using stem cells and 3D printers.
