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“Crack open this book and take a read. You will be transported, illuminated, and delighted.” —Psychology Today Just 125,000 years ago, humanity was on a path to extinction, until a dramatic shift occurred. We used our mental abilities to navigate new terrain and changing climates. We hunted, foraged, tracked tides, shucked oysters—anything we could do to survive. Before long, our species had pulled itself back from the brink and was on more stable ground. What saved us? The human brain—and its evolutionary journey is unlike any other. In A History of the Human Brain, Bret Stetka takes us on this far-reaching journey, explaining exactly how our most mysterious organ developed. From the brain’s improbable, watery beginnings to the marvel that sits in the head of Homo sapiens today, Stetka covers an astonishing progression, even tackling future brainy frontiers such as epigenetics and CRISPR. Clearly and expertly told, this intriguing account is the story of who we are. By examining the history of the brain, we can begin to piece together what it truly means to be human.
“Crack open this book and take a read. You will be transported, illuminated, and delighted.” —Psychology Today Just 125,000 years ago, humanity was on a path to extinction, until a dramatic shift occurred. We used our mental abilities to navigate new terrain and changing climates. We hunted, foraged, tracked tides, shucked oysters—anything we could do to survive. Before long, our species had pulled itself back from the brink and was on more stable ground. What saved us? The human brain—and its evolutionary journey is unlike any other. In A History of the Human Brain, Bret Stetka takes us on this far-reaching journey, explaining exactly how our most mysterious organ developed. From the brain’s improbable, watery beginnings to the marvel that sits in the head of Homo sapiens today, Stetka covers an astonishing progression, even tackling future brainy frontiers such as epigenetics and CRISPR. Clearly and expertly told, this intriguing account is the story of who we are. By examining the history of the brain, we can begin to piece together what it truly means to be human.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
About the Author-
Bret Stetka is an Editorial Director at Medscape.com—the professional division of WebMD.com. He is a non-practicing physician, and a freelance health and science journalist for a variety of print and online publications. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Medicine. In 2006, he completed a research and science writing post-doctoral year at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, where he worked in a biological psychiatry laboratory and authored a number of scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals. He is now a regular contributor to NPR as well as Scientific American Magazine, where he writes about neuroscience, psychiatry, and evolution. His work has also appeared in WIRED and Men’s Journal, as well as Slate, Popular Mechanics, and The Atlantic.
Reviews-
February 15, 2021 Size isn't everything when it comes to our brain (which weighs about three pounds and accounts for two-percent of our total body weight). Complexity (architecture, neurocircuitry, neuron compactness) and adaptability are more important. In fact, human brains have been shrinking for the past 10,000 to 20,000 years, perhaps because we are becoming a more ""domesticated"" species. Effectively utilizing evolutionary biology and anthropology, MD and science journalist Stetka tracks the origin and development of the human brain and forecasts its possible future. Our brain's evolution was driven by diet, increasing social interactions, tool-making, control of fire, bipedalism, and creativity. An omnivorous diet facilitated adaptation to diverse habitats and climates, and carnivorism helped expand our energy-greedy brain. As our species became increasingly creative and resourceful, our longevity extended. Social behavior and processing emotions (fear, pleasure, love, grief) increased our chances for survival. Yet humans possess a penchant for aggression, and we still struggle with conflicting impulses for violence and goodwill. Stetka ends on a somber note, ""Our brains are so adept at exploiting the planet that we've left it a mess.
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