Skin: A Natural History

299 Pages·2006·3.733 MB·English

by  Nina G. Jablonski

skin
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skin
A NATURAL HISTORY
NINA G. JABLONSKI
WITH A NEW PREFACE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley Los Angeles London
University of California Press, one of the most distinguished
university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the
world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences,
and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press
Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals
and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu.
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 2006, 20r3 by Nina G. Jablonski
Title page photograph© Heather Leah Kennedy
ISBN: 978-0-520-27589-8
Previous edition:
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jablonski, Nina G.
Skin: a natural history I Nina G. Jablonski.
p. em.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN·rr 978-o-520-2428r-4 (cloth: alk paper).
ISBN-ro: o-520-2428r-5 (cloth: alk. paper)
r. Skin. I. Title.
QP88.5.133 2006
6r2f9-dc22 2oo6oo7731
20 '9 r8 '7 r6 '5 '4 13
109876 4 3 2
In keeping with a commitment to support environmentally
responsible and sustainable printing practices, UC Press
has printed this book on Rolland Enviroroo, a 100%
post-consumer fiber paper that is FSC certified, deinked,
processed chlorine-free, and manufactured with renewable
biogas energy. It is acid-free and EcoLogo certified.
TO GEORGE
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CONTENTS
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Preface to the 2013 Edition XV
Introduction
Skin Laid Bare 9
2 History 2I
3 Sweat 39
4 Skin and Sun s6
5 Skin's Dark Secret 6s
6 Color 76
7 Touch 97
e Emotions, Sex, and Skin II2
9 Wear and Tear 12I
10 Statements 141
11 Future Skin 164
Glossary 175
Notes 181
References 217
Index 243
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Color Plates and Maps 10.Pokot woman from central Kenya,
Following page 82 with darkly pigmented skin
11.Berber woman from Tunisia,
Plates
with moderately pigmented skin
1.An écorché
12.Sámi woman from Finland, with
2.Mummified skin ofÖtzi,
very lightly pigmented skin
preserved Neolithic Iceman
13.Woman from Myanmar with
3.Facial skin of Tollund Man,
facial tattooing
preserved in a peat bog
14.Artificial electronic skin
4.The naked mole rat
5.The hippo’s “red sweat” Maps
6.Reconstruction ofthe hominid 1.Annual average UVR over the
species Australopithecus afarensis earth’s surface
7. Reconstruction ofthe hominid 2.Predicted skin color for modern
species Homo ergaster humans
8.Reconstruction ofa Neandertal
man from central Europe Figures
9.San tribesman from Botswana, 1.Section through human skin 12
with moderately pigmented skin 2.Human epidermis 13