Alice Roberts 
Anatomical Oddities: The Otherworldly Realms Hidden within Our Bodies 

From acclaimed science writer, presenter, and illustrator Alice Roberts, a visual and linguistic adventure through the strange, astonishing worlds within our anatomy

Did you know you have cobwebs in your head, hair in your lungs, and snails in your ears? In the world of anatomy, every name paints a picture: from the
arachnoid mater , a brain membrane resembling a spider’s web, to the
ciliated epithelium of the respiratory tract (from the Latin for “eyelash”) and the curlicue
cochleas (from the Greek for “snail”) that power our hearing.



Quirky, bizarre, and beautiful,
Anatomical Oddities traverses the body’s crypts, islets, and mountains to reveal a secret map of organ, tissue, and bone—complete with peculiar place names (
duodenum , from the Greek for “twelve-fingers-long part of the gut”) and overlooked but essential regions (like the
orbicularis oculi , the muscle that lets us blink). Featuring stunning original artwork by the author—acclaimed science writer and presenter Alice Roberts— these fifty-seven brief lessons in anatomy lay bare the intricate details of the human body, the history of those who unearthed its secrets, and the rich world of language that gives us form.

About the author

Professor Alice Roberts is an academic, author, and broadcaster, specializing in human anatomy, physiology, evolution, archaeology, and history. She is the author of more than ten science and history books, including Anatomical Oddities: The Otherworldly Realms Hidden within Our Bodies. In 2001, Alice made her television debut on Channel 4’s Time Team, and went on to write and present The Incredible Human Journey,  Origins of Us,  and Ice Age Giants on BBC2. She is also the presenter of the popular TV series Digging for Britain. Alice has been a Professor of Public Engagement with Science at the University of Birmingham since 2012.