“Does an excellent job of using evolutionary biology to discuss the origins of religion, music, art, and . . . morality.”—Publishers Weekly, starred reviewA unique trait of the human species is that our personalities, lifestyles, and worldviews are shaped by an accident of birth—namely, the culture into which we are born. It is our cultures and not our genes that determine which foods we eat, which languages we speak, which people we love and marry, and which people we kil...

'Expresses an infectious sense of wonder at the uniqueness of our species; it is hard not to be affected by his enthusiasm' Sunday TimesWhat explains the staggering diversity of cultures in the world? Why are there so many languages, even within small areas? Why do we rejoice in rituals and wrap ourselves in flags? In Wired for Culture Mark Pagel, the world's leading expert on human development, reveals how our facility for culture is the key to what makes us who we are.She...

Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Blink and The Bomber Mafia and host of the podcast Revisionist History, explores what sets high achievers apart—from Bill Gates to the Beatles—in this seminal work from "a singular talent" (New York Times Book Review).In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"—the best and the brightest, the m...

Put aside everything you thought you knew about Neanderthals. Evolutionary detective Danny Vendramini's meticulous research shows they were not docile omnivores, but savage, cannibalistic carnivores: the 'apex predators' of the stone age. And everything else—including humans—was their prey.Vendramini's Neanderthal predation theory argues that the evolution of modern humans—including our unique physiology, sexuality and human nature–is the result of systematic long-term sexual predat...

In this extensively revised and enlarged edition of his best-selling book, David Suzuki reflects on the increasingly radical changes in nature and science — from global warming to the science behind mother/baby interactions — and examines what they mean for humankind’s place in the world. The book begins by presenting the concept of people as creatures of the Earth who depend on its gifts of air, water, soil, and sun energy. The author explains how people are genetically p...

An exposé of pseudoscientific myths about our evolutionary past and how we should live today.We evolved to eat berries rather than bagels, to live in mud huts rather than condos, to sprint barefoot rather than play football—or did we? Are our bodies and brains truly at odds with modern life? Although it may seem as though we have barely had time to shed our hunter-gatherer legacy, biologist Marlene Zuk reveals that the story is not so simple. Popular theories about how our ancestor...

In this lively and illuminating discussion of his landmark research, esteemed primatologist Frans de Waal argues that human morality is not imposed from above but instead comes from within. Moral behavior does not begin and end with religion but is in fact a product of evolution.For many years, de Waal has observed chimpanzees soothe distressed neighbors and bonobos share their food. Now he delivers fascinating fresh evidence for the seeds of ethical behavior in primate societies t...

How did the replication bomb we call ”life” begin and where in the world, or rather, in the universe, is it heading? Writing with characteristic wit and an ability to clarify complex phenomena (the New York Times described his style as ”the sort of science writing that makes the reader feel like a genius”), Richard Dawkins confronts this ancient mystery.

How language evolved has been called "the hardest problem in science." In Adam's Tongue, Derek Bickerton—long a leading authority in this field—shows how and why previous attempts to solve that problem have fallen short. Taking cues from topics as diverse as the foraging strategies of ants, the distribution of large prehistoric herbivores, and the construction of ecological niches, Bickerton produces a dazzling new alternative to the conventional wisdom.Language is unique t...

Wild elephants walking along a trail stop and spontaneously try toprotect and assist a weak and dying fellow elephant. Laboratory rats,finding other rats caged nearby in distressing circumstances, proceed torescue them. A chimpanzee in a zoo loses his own life trying to save anunrelated infant who has fallen into a watery moat.Theexamples above and many others, argues Dale Peterson, show that ourfellow creatures have powerful impulses towar...

Acclaimed author Matt Ridley's thrilling follow-up to his bestseller Genome. Armed with the extraordinary new discoveries about our genes, Ridley turns his attention to the nature versus nurture debate to bring the first popular account of the roots of human behaviour.What makes us who we are?In February 2001 it was announced that the genome contains not 100,000 genes as originally expected but only 30,000. This startling revision led some scientists to conclude that there ...

A contemporary classic about love now completely revised and updated.From love at first sight and infidelity to hook-up culture and "slow love," Dr. Helen Fisher, the biological anthropologist and "renowned expert on the science of love" (Scientific American), explains it all in this thoroughly revised classic on the evolution and future of human sex, romance, and partnership. Examining marriage and divorce in 58 societies and adultery in 42 cultures, she ...