GUEST POST: 7 Excellent Open Courseware Collections To Learn About The Human Body

The human body is a fascinating and intricate construction, and there are many reasons to learn more about it. You may want to know how it works so that you can better understand your own, and thereby make the best decisions possible in regards to good health and maintenance. You may want to understand how it works so that you can move into a profession that works to restore it to health. You may just be curious. Whatever the reason, these 7 excellent open courseware collections to learn about the human body are a great place to begin or to continue your study of the human body.

General Human Anatomy

General Human Anatomy takes a general look at the structure of the body and all its systems. This is a cursory examination of the human body as a structure provided by UC Bekeley and is the perfect start to any study of the human body.

Human Anatomy

Human Anatomy, provided by Emory University, takes the investigation a step farther examining the systems of the human body. It takes a look at the organization of the nervous system and the physical anatomy of each portion of the body. Focuses include the upper and lower extremity, the vertebrae and spinal cord, the head, the neck, the abdomen, and the thorax.

Human Growth And Development

Tufts University's Human Growth and Development takes a look at the human body throughout the lifespan. The development of bodily and cognitive skills during the lifespan can be better understood when you are aware of the progression of physical growth that happens concurrently.

Cell-Matrix Mechanics

Cell-Matrix Mechanics, courtesy of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will teach you about the physical processes of the development of cells and tissues. This will include a look at the growth process both as it occurs naturally with aging and as it occurs with healing after damage to certain tissues.

A Clinical Approach To The Human Brain

A Clinical Approach to the Human Brain, also from MIT, is a collection that will explain how the human brain works both when it is healthy and when it is not. The resources talk about the actual anatomy of the brain and all of its workings. Neurons, synapses, and neurotransmitters are all covered.

Sensation And Perception

MIT's Sensation and Perception is an essential courseware collection. The human body functions in response to its environment, and the senses provide the information that allows the body to avoid danger and to make choices. These resources will cover how signals are received and then transformed into usable information in the body.

Cellular Neurobiology

Cellular Neurobiology, a final contribution from the Mass Institute, will focus on the functioning of the nervous system. It will cover the physical processes at work in synaptic transmission, neurodevelopment, and the way that information is filtered and processed.

The human body is a wonderfully complex construct. These courses will teach you much about its overall functioning while still leaving so much more to learn as you get into specific systems. Everyone should take some time to learn about the human body because everyone has one. If you know about its functioning then you will learn more about how you can keep it working at peak efficiency, and make the best, most informed decisions for the only body you will ever have in this life.

About the Author:
Mary Ward is a freelance author and writes about medical career topics, such as how to select among ultrasound technician schools, tips for job advancement, and more.

An amazing medical sentence...

What the hell.

“I do not know where family doctors acquired illegibly perplexing handwriting nevertheless, extraordinary pharmaceutical intellectuality counterbalancing indecipherability, transcendentalizes intercommunications incomprehensibleness”.

This is a sentence where the Nth word is N letters long.

e.g. 3rd word is 3 letters long, 8th word is 8 letters long and so on.

An episode of House...

From GraphJam. Hilarious. All they forgot was the seizures. Why is it that there is at least ONE seizure per episode of House. SA Doc tells me it's a lot more exciting than real life. Even the Baragwanath pit.

Old Time Medicine #8 - You KNOW it works! (46% Alcohol, 100% Opium)

Opium for new-borns

I'm sure this would make them sleep well (not only the Opium, but 46% alcohol!)

Old Time Medicine #7 - You KNOW it works! (Double BILL on the Cocaine!)

A double bill for you today. Amazing that these "medicines" existed. Oh but for the old days eh?


Cocaine tablets (1900)

All stage actors, singers teachers and preachers had to have them for a maximum performance. Great to "smooth" the voice.



Cocaine drops for toothache

Very popular for children in 1885. Not only they relieved the pain, they made the children happy!

Old Time Medicine #6 - You KNOW it works! (Asthma Opium? REALLY?)

Opium? Really?

Awesome.

Old Time Medicine #5 - You KNOW it works! (Paperweight promotion)

A paper weight

A paper weight promoting C.F. Boehringer & Soehne ( Mannheim , Germany ). They were proud of being the biggest producers in the world of products containing Quinine and Cocaine.

Old Time Medicine #4 - You KNOW it works! (Cocaine Wine for Kids...)

Maltine

Produced by Maltine Manufacturing Company of New York . It was suggested that you should take a full glass with or after every meal. Children should take half a glass.