Books like Before the dawn by Nicholas Wade

A science‑fiction tale of alien‑human genetic blending after a nuclear conflict on Earth.

A groundbreaking exploration of the past that fundamentally transforms our understanding of human history.

Jared Diamond examines the genetic and social factors that set humans apart from other primates, tracing the human–chimpanzee relationship and the impact of our species on nature.

Kurzweil explores the coming fusion of human minds with advanced machines, predicting that integrated intelligence will surpass current human capacity, shaping future society.

David Reich shows how genome sequencing and ancient DNA are revolutionizing our understanding of human history, human populations, and the deep roots of social and biological differences.

xv, 351 pages : 24 cm

Robert Wright uses evolutionary theory to trace the growing complexity of life and human societies, arguing that cooperation drives progress and that morality has improved over time.

How Humans Evolved uses the broad perspective of behavioral ecology, drawing on Robert Boyd's expertise in evolutionary theory and Joan Silk's specialty in primate behavior in a uniquely integrative text. For the Third Edition, the authors have revisited many chapters in depth, added new supplemental readings, and incorporated the latest archaeological findings, including coverage of the fossil cranium Sahelanthropus tchadensis, whose dating was announced in the summer of 2002.

"Not by Genes Alone offers a radical interpretation of human evolution, arguing that our ecological dominance and our singular social systems stem from a psychology uniquely adapted to create complex culture. Richerson and Boyd illustrate here that culture is neither superorganic nor the handmaiden of the genes. Rather, it is essential to human adaptation, as much a part of human biology as bipedal locomotion. Drawing on work in the fields of anthropology, political science, sociology, and economics - and building their case with such examples as kayaks, corporations, clever knots, and yams that require twelve men to carry them - Richerson and Boyd demonstrate that culture and biology are inextricably linked, and they show us how to think about their interaction in a way that yields a richer understanding of human nature."--Jacket.