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    The cradle of humanity : how the changing landscape of Africa made us so smart / Mark Maslin ; [foreword by Richard Leakey].

    By: Maslin, Mark [author.]Contributor(s): Leakey, Richard E [writer of foreword.]Material type: TextTextPublisher: Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2017Copyright date: ©2017Edition: First editionDescription: xxiv, 228 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cmContent type: text | still image Media type: unmediated Carrier type: volumeISBN: 9780198704522; 0198704526Subject(s): Human evolution | Intellect | Human evolution -- Africa, East | Human beings -- Effect of climate on -- Africa, East -- History | Human beings -- Effect of environment on -- Africa, East -- History | Landscape changes -- Africa, East -- History | Climatic changes -- Africa, East -- History | Paleoclimatology -- Africa, East | Paleoecology -- Africa, East | Paleoecology | Paleoclimatology | Landscape changes | Intellect | Human evolution | Human beings -- Effect of environment on | Human beings -- Effect of climate on | Climatic changes | Africa, East | Evolution | Klimaänderung | Rift Valley | SCIENCE / Life Sciences / EvolutionGenre/Form: History.DDC classification: 599.93/8 LOC classification: GF701 | .M37 2017
    Contents:
    Early human evolution -- Tectonics and climate -- Cradle of humanity -- Global climate change -- Celestial mechanics -- African climate pulses -- The social brain -- The future of humanity.
    Summary: POPULAR SCIENCE. Humans are rather weak when compared with many other animals. We are not particular fast and have no natural weapons. Yet Homo sapiens currently number nearly 7.5 billion and are set to rise to nearly 10 billion by the middle of this century. We have influenced almost every part of the Earth system and as a consequence are changing the global environmental and evolutionary trajectory of the Earth. So how did we become the worlds apex predator and take over the planet? Fundamental to our success is our intelligence, not only individually but more importantly collectively. But why did evolution favour the brainy ape? Given the calorific cost of running our large brains, not to mention the difficulties posed for childbirth, this bizarre adaptation must have given our ancestors a considerable advantage.
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    Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Notes Date due Barcode
    Books Books Female Library
    		GF701 .M37 2017 (Browse shelf (Opens below)) 1 Available STACKS 51952000241669
    Books Books Main Library
    		GF701 .M37 2017 (Browse shelf (Opens below)) 1 Available STACKS 51952000241676

    Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-225) and index.

    Early human evolution -- Tectonics and climate -- Cradle of humanity -- Global climate change -- Celestial mechanics -- African climate pulses -- The social brain -- The future of humanity.

    POPULAR SCIENCE. Humans are rather weak when compared with many other animals. We are not particular fast and have no natural weapons. Yet Homo sapiens currently number nearly 7.5 billion and are set to rise to nearly 10 billion by the middle of this century. We have influenced almost every part of the Earth system and as a consequence are changing the global environmental and evolutionary trajectory of the Earth. So how did we become the worlds apex predator and take over the planet? Fundamental to our success is our intelligence, not only individually but more importantly collectively. But why did evolution favour the brainy ape? Given the calorific cost of running our large brains, not to mention the difficulties posed for childbirth, this bizarre adaptation must have given our ancestors a considerable advantage.

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