
The Better Half
On the Genetic Superiority of Women
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Narrated by:
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Dr. Sharon Moalem MD PhD
About this listen
An award-winning physician and scientist makes the game-changing case that genetic females are stronger than males at every stage of life
This program is read by the author
Here are some facts: 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 genetics: 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.
A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
©2020 Dr. Sharon Moalem, MD, PhD (P)2020 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about The Better Half
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- David Plourde
- 12-01-23
LOVED it!!!
Insightful information that I did not know and the things I had a grasp on were talked about more. I hope this doctor writes more and continues this research! A must to listen to!!
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- Elijones
- 01-28-23
Very informative
This book does a wonderful job at illustrating how our genetic differences have shaped the way we express our genes and the way those expressions are/should be treated.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jake Rosser
- 10-18-20
Paradigm Shifting Material
This book turned my world upside down in how I thought about women and men. While men were blessed with more testosterone, it comes a cost of less cellular cooperation. I don't want to ruin the book for you so let that wet your appetite.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Anabelle Cardona
- 04-16-22
very good
this'll change the course for science, feminism and the self esteem for young girls in today's age. teenage girls always have a phase, whether it's starving, cutting or transitioning. I hope this book is read in schools and colleges. I hope that amidst all the misogyny and perpetual self hatred young girls feel they can at least know they're built to last. I hope that the future of science changes to take sex differences into account instead of constantly ignoring them to save money. I hope the world overall learns from this book.
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5 people found this helpful