Human life, and how we came to be, is one of the greatest scientific and philosophical questions of our time. This compact and accessible book presents a modern view of human evolution. Written by a leading authority, it lucidly and engagingly explains not only the evolutionary process, but the technologies currently used to unravel the evolutionary past and emergence of Homo sapiens. By separating the history of palaeoanthropology from current interpretation of the human fossil record, it lays numerous misconceptions to rest, and demonstrates that human evolution has been far from the linear struggle from primitiveness to perfection that we've been led to believe. It also presents a coherent scenario for how Homo sapiens contrived to cross a formidable cognitive barrier to become an extraordinary and unprecedented thinking creature. Elegantly illustrated, Understanding Human Evolution is for anyone interested in the complex and tangled story of how we came to be.
'For years, Ian Tattersall has been the go-to source for the latest facts and interpretations of human evolution. Here, in his clear, pithy style, he brings us up to date on the latest discoveries, weaving them skillfully into a coherent outline of hominid history extending back millions of years. It's all here-from the latest on DNA and radiometric dating of fossils, to the nature and origin of the still-mysterious self-consciousness that is unique to modern humans. A terrific resource and wonderful read!' Niles Eldredge, Curator Emeritus in the Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, USA