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Title details for The Book of Humans by Adam Rutherford - Available

The Book of Humans

A Brief History of Culture, Sex, War, and the Evolution of Us

by Adam Rutherford
Adam Rutherford
Audiobook
35 of 36 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
35 of 36 copies available
The bestselling author of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived investigates what it means to be human—and animal
Evolutionary theory has long established that humans are animals: Modern Homo sapiens are primates who share an ancestor with monkeys and other great apes. Our genome is 98 percent identical to a chimpanzee's. And yet we think of ourselves as exceptional. Are we?
In this original and entertaining tour of life on Earth, Adam Rutherford explores the profound paradox of the "human animal." Looking for answers across the animal kingdom, he finds that many things once considered exclusively human are not: In Australia, raptors have been observed starting fires to scatter prey; in Zambia, a chimp named Julie even started a "fashion" of wearing grass in one ear. We aren't the only species that communicates, makes tools, or has sex for reasons other than procreation. But we have developed a culture far more complex than any other we've observed. Why has that happened, and what does it say about us?
The Book of Humans is a new evolutionary history—a synthesis of the latest research on genetics, sex, migration, and much more. It reveals what unequivocally makes us animals—and also why we are truly extraordinary.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 19, 2019

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781977311757
      • File size: 167441 KB
      • Duration: 05:48:50

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Geneticist and seasoned broadcaster Adam Rutherford shares his excitement for human evolution and animal behavior with listeners. The research sounds captivatingly new, and Rutherford makes evolutionary theory understandable. Through jaw-dropping examples, he shreds any notion of normalcy when it comes to animal sexual behavior. He delivers a commendably steady performance even while describing cringe-worthy animal behavior. While questioning the paradigms used to define intelligence, tool use, self awareness, or society, he sensitively probes what makes humans unique from every other animal. Rutherford eviscerates evolutionary psychology's peddling of unproven explanations of human behavior. Instead of promoting human supremacy, Rutherford connects listeners to every organism that preceded us. Don't stop listening early. The audiobook's ending is profoundly beautiful. J.T. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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