Introduction

There can be no more profound question than ‘Where do we come from?’ Since our ancestors figured out how to think, we humans have wondered about our origins, but it is only within the last few centuries that we have tackled the question scientifically.

The story of the study of human evolution is an epic one, full of extraordinary discoveries, daring adventures and (often) spectacularly vehement arguments. It encompasses a swathe of technical disciplines, and forces us to ask deep questions about who we are as a species. This book is your introduction to the subject.

The first seven chapters tell the story of human evolution in chronological order, beginning with the earliest primates, moving through the earliest ape-like hominins, and concluding with the rise of modern civilization. The final three chapters then step back to ask the three biggest questions: what is so special about us, how did we get that way, and what do we still not know?

That last point is a crucial one. We should admit in advance, with apologies, that no reader will get to the end of this book and find that they understand how humanity evolved. Our understanding of human evolution has been upended, or at least seriously complicated, by a swathe of remarkable discoveries made since the year 2000. So you won’t find the ultimate truth here, but you will find plenty of facts, our best explanations for them and, we hope, the right questions to ask.

Michael Marshall, Editor