"A science historian describes seven famous ancestral fossils that have become known around the world, including the three-foot tall "hobbit" from Flores, the Neanderthal of La Chapelle, the Taung Child, the Piltdown Man hoax, Peking Man, Australopithecus sediba and Lucy,"--NoveList. "Over the last century, the search for human ancestors has spanned four continents and resulted in the discovery of hundreds of fossils. Most of these discoveries live...

A scientist and explorer describes his ambitious genetic research project to map the ancient roots and mystery of human origins, explaining how an individual's DNA can provide a key piece to the puzzle of human history.

"Taking readers on a rollicking ride through history, a master storyteller and reporter, whose legend began in journalism, presents a paradigm-shifting argument that speech, not evolution, is responsible for humanity's complex societies and achievements"--NoveList. "Before Tom Wolfe was a bestselling novelist, he was a groundbreaking journalist. Now the maestro storyteller turns his attention to the mystery behind the creation of his own most important...

"In his new book human paleoanthropologist Ian Tattersall argues that a long tradition of "human exceptionalism" in paleoanthropology has distorted the picture of human evolution. Drawing partly on his own career-- from young scientist in awe of his elders to crotchety elder statesman-- Tattersall offers an idiosyncratic look at the competitive world of paleoanthropology, beginning with Charles Darwin 150 years ago, and continuing through the Leakey...

Explores how the field of paleoanthropology enables insights into some of the world's leading evolutionary questions, exploring such topics as the life cycles of ancient people, the origins of social nature, and the common traits between modern humans and Neanderthals. "What can fossilized teeth tell us about the life expectancy of our ancient ancestors? How did farming play a problematic role in the history of human evolution? How can simple geometric...

Anthropologist blends his scientific knowledge with imaginative vision as he reflects on the journey of man in time.

This book explores, from a high level, the parallels between the evolution of humans and the evolution of machines. The book reviews practical questions about the future of AI but also engages in philosophical discussions about what machine intelligence could mean for the human experience. The book focuses on what is intelligence and what separates intelligent species from non-so-intelligent ones. It concludes this section with the description of...

"When Sergio Alm�ecija was a new assistant professor tasked with teaching human evolution, he found it nearly impossible to summarize the myriad scientific points of view. He began to wonder what other researchers felt were the most relevant aspects of their own research and what they thought was the meaning and impact of the work they did. So, he compiled a list of the top experts across paleontology, primatology, human genetics, behavior, and...

Perhaps you are WEIRD: raised in a society that is Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. If so, you’re rather psychologically peculiar. Unlike much of the world today, and most people who have ever lived, WEIRD people are highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control-oriented, nonconformist, and analytical. They focus on themselves―their attributes, accomplishments, and aspirations―over their relationships and social roles....