num_pages: 288
description: A Guardian Book of the WeekLonglisted for the PEN / E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing AwardAn award-winning physician and scientist makes the game-changing case that genetic females are stronger than males at every stage of lifeHere are some Women live longer than men. They have stronger immune systems. They're better at fighting cancer and surviving famine and even see the world in a wider variety of colors. They are simply stronger than men at every stage of life. Why is this? And why are we taught the opposite?To find out Dr. Sharon Moalem drew on his own medical experiences - treating premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit; recruiting the elderly for neurogenetic studies; tending to HIV-positive orphans in Thailand - and tried to understand why in every instance men were consistently less likely to thrive. The answer he discovered lies in our two X chromosomes offer a powerful survival advantage.With clear captivating prose that weaves together eye-opening research case studies diverse examples ranging from the behavior of honeybees to American pioneers as well as experiences from his personal life and his own patients Moalem explains why genetic females triumph over males when it comes to resiliency intellect stamina immunity and much more. He also calls for a reconsideration of our male-centric one-size-fits-all view of medical studies and even how we prescribe medications - a view that still sees women through the lens of men.Revolutionary and yet utterly convincing The Better Half will make you see humanity and the survival of our species anew.
language: English
title: The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women
publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux