Ancestors: In Search of Human OriginsWhen he discovered "Lucy", the oldest skeleton of any erect-walking human ancestor ever found, Donald Johanson made headlines all over the world. Johanson, author of Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind, the controversial bestseller that altered the science of anthropology, is now the preeminent authority on human evolution. In Ancestors, his most ambitious work to date, Johanson calls on both extensive, hands-on field-work and current scientific theory to widen the ever-growing window to the human past. Ancestors is the companion volume to a three-part miniseries - hosted by Johanson - of the award-winning PBS science series NOVA. With spectacular photographs and riveting accounts of Dr. Johanson's recent adventures in such exotic landscapes as fossil-rich eastern Africa and the Willandra Lakes region of Australia, the excitement of discovery is contagious. Like a good detective on a lead, Johanson crosses four continents, gathering clues to hominid anatomy, habitat, and placement along the fossil time line in an effort to piece together a compelling picture of human ancestry. Johanson draws from the work of other evolution detectives - archeologists, biologists, geologists, other paleoanthropologists - introducing a cast of eccentric characters and giving a behind-the-scenes look at how scientists work. Johanson also delves into the three most hotly debated topics in the field: why hominids began to walk upright, whether they were "noble hunters" or "cunning scavengers", and at what point Homo sapiens evolved. Full of anecdote, drama, innovative theory, and the mystery of human origins, Ancestors is a spell-binding read. |
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ANCESTORS: The Search for Our Origins
User Review - KirkusForget bipedalism. Forget language. Forget pair-bonding and cooperation. What distinguishes Homo sapiens from all other species is the need to explain. And what better explainer than ... Read full review
Ancestors: in search of human origins
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictA companion volume to the PBS Nova television series, this book reads much like a nature documentary soundtrack. Johanson, the paleoanthropologist world famous for his discovery of the "Lucy ... Read full review
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Ancestors: In Search of Human Origins Donald C. Johanson,Lenora Johanson,Blake Edgar Snippet view - 1994 |
Common terms and phrases
afarensis Africa Alan ancestors animal appeared archeological archeologists argued Australia australopithecines began behavior believes Bill bipedalism body bones brain called camp carcass carnivores cave chimpanzee Chris continued culture D. C. JOHANSON Dart discovered discovery Dordogne early Europe evidence evolution evolutionary evolved excavation face fact field fire fossils fragments ground Hadar hand hominid Homo erectus Homo sapiens Human Origins hunting joint known Lake later layer limb lived look lower Lucy Makapansgat male marks meat million million years ago Model modern humans nature Neandertals Olduvai once Owen paintings past pelvis pieces populations probably recently record region remains River robust rock scavenging showed side similar skeleton skull South species stone tools suggests Swartkrans teeth tree turned upper walking
Bibliographic information
| Title | Ancestors: In Search of Human Origins |
| Authors | Donald C. Johanson, Lenora Johanson, Blake Edgar |
| Contributors | Lenora Johanson, Blake Edgar |
| Publisher | Villard Books, 1994 |
| ISBN | 0679420606, 9780679420606 |
| Length | 339 pages |
| Subjects | › Science / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |