We like to think of ourselves as exceptional beings, but is there really anything special about us that sets us apart from other animals? Humans are the slightest of twigs on a single family tree that encompasses four billion years, a lot of twists and turns, and a billion species. All of those organisms are rooted in a single origin, with a common code that underwrites our existence. This paradox - that our biology is indistinct from all life, yet we consider ourselves to be special - lies at the heart of who we are. In this original and entertaining tour of life on Earth, Adam Rutherford explores how many of the things once considered to be exclusively human are not: we are not the only species that communicates, makes tools, utilises fire, or has sex for reasons other than to make new versions of ourselves. Evolution has, however, allowed us to develop our culture to a level of complexity that outstrips any other observed in nature. THE BOOK OF HUMANS tells the story of how we became the creatures we are today, bestowed with the unique ability to investigate what makes us who we are. Illuminated by the latest scientific discoveries, it is a thrilling compendium of what unequivocally fixes us as animals, and reveals how we are extraordinary among them.
Staff Choice: Bella
This is a book that is a must-read for anyone who loves to learn random facts from molecular biology to anthropology and linguistics. This book is slightly more scientific, as Adam Rutherford explores how many of the things we thought were exclusively human, are actually not. It took me a while to get into it, and I also had to reread certain parts in which he used statistics. He describes the ways that we, humans, are the same as or different to animals when it comes to communicating, tool-making, utilizing fire, and having sex for pleasure. I've learned some great facts about animals that are now stored in my mind, ready to be shared during a conversation to break the ice.