Ebook: Human Evolution: A Very Short Introduction

This Very Short Introduction traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the eighteenth century to the latest fossil finds. Although concentrating on the fossil evidence for human evolution, it also covers the latest genetic evidence about regional variations in the modern human genome that relate to our evolutionary history. Bernard Wood draws on over thirty years of experience to provide an insider's view of the field and some of the personalities in it, and demonstrates that our understanding of human evolution is critically dependent on advances in related sciences such as paleoclimatology, geochronology, systematics, genetics, and developmental biology. Somebody out there: What is the Meaning of Life? Where do I come from? Who am I? Why am I here? and Where do I go? These are the questions which each of us faces and needs to answer them sooner or later. Usually, most of the people find themselves in dead-end street that is: science vs religion. As an Orthodox Christian personally I think there is no conflict between science and religion. Both of these are mutually complementary. Not to elaborate further into details…. Often people (as this book does) pretend to give/possess last word on the question of the existence, that is above mentioned questions. BUT there are almost 8 billion people on the earth…. Is it a solution to go just one way street when one discusses such important topic. This is what the book is missing even though it is just a short intro. Personally, I try to consider with great respect for myself positions of other people being always ready to engage into constructive dialog. Once again for me personally science and religion are on the same page. Read the book for yourself and do not forget to be nice to other people :) so we can make this planet our common home. We might not be able answer all questions but one is sure we do not have a reserve planet for leaving. We have what we have got and all of us need to be good stewards. We all (people of all races) are one family.

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This Very Short Introduction traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the eighteenth century to the latest fossil finds. Although concentrating on the fossil evidence for human evolution, it also covers the latest genetic evidence about regional variations in the modern human genome that relate to our evolutionary history. Bernard Wood draws on over thirty years of experience to provide an insider's view of the field and some of the personalities in it, and demonstrates that our understanding of human evolution is critically dependent on advances in related sciences such as paleoclimatology, geochronology, systematics, genetics, and developmental biology. Somebody out there: What is the Meaning of Life? Where do I come from? Who am I? Why am I here? and Where do I go? These are the questions which each of us faces and needs to answer them sooner or later. Usually, most of the people find themselves in dead-end street that is: science vs religion. As an Orthodox Christian personally I think there is no conflict between science and religion. Both of these are mutually complementary. Not to elaborate further into details…. Often people (as this book does) pretend to give/possess last word on the question of the existence, that is above mentioned questions. BUT there are almost 8 billion people on the earth…. Is it a solution to go just one way street when one discusses such important topic. This is what the book is missing even though it is just a short intro. Personally, I try to consider with great respect for myself positions of other people being always ready to engage into constructive dialog. Once again for me personally science and religion are on the same page. Read the book for yourself and do not forget to be nice to other people :) so we can make this planet our common home. We might not be able answer all questions but one is sure we do not have a reserve planet for leaving. We have what we have got and all of us need to be good stewards. We all (people of all races) are one family.

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This Very Short Introduction traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the eighteenth century to the latest fossil finds. Although concentrating on the fossil evidence for human evolution, it also covers the latest genetic evidence about regional variations in the modern human genome that relate to our evolutionary history. Bernard Wood draws on over thirty years of experience to provide an insider's view of the field and some of the personalities in it, and demonstrates that our understanding of human evolution is critically dependent on advances in related sciences such as paleoclimatology, geochronology, systematics, genetics, and developmental biology.