Down from the trees : man’s amazing transition from tree-dwelling ape ancestors

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"Down from the Trees: Mans Amazing Transition from Tree-Dwelling Ape Ancestors covers the evolution of man from tree-dwelling ape to Homo erectus as he is today. Using easy-to-read language, the author takes complex, jargon-filled material and extracts the essence of the topic and coveys it in a clear and engaging manner. He approaches the subject of human evolution from three different disciplines: fossil evidence and its interpretation, evolutionary theory and its applicability, and genetic evidence and its ability to unlock prehistoric information. The third discipline has advanced unbelievably in the last few years, and this book includes the most up-to-date research.There is nothing more interesting to humans than the story of their origins. The evolutionary process of a tree-dwelling ape becoming a walking, talking man who has developed the technology to walk on the moon, transplant hearts, or modify living things is no trivial story. This book provides a fascinating and comprehensive view of what science has learned of human evolution. "--Provided by publisher.  Read more... Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents About the author List of Abbreviations Acknowledgments Introduction PART I: FOSSILS TELL A STORY 1. Stratigraphy 2. Time Divisions 3. The K/T Extinctions and the Mammalian Species Radiation 4. Primates and Apes Problem Set PART II: BIPEDAL SPECIES 5. Fossils and Human Evolution 6. The Paleoanthropologists 7. Overview of Our Distant Ancestors 8. Ardi 9. Lucy and Australopithecus afarensis 10. Australopithecus sediba 11. Homo naledi 12. Homo erectus 13. Neanderthal Man 14. Homo sapiens Problem Set PART III: HOW EVOLUTION WORKS15. Charles Darwin 16. The Modern Synthesis 17. Richard Dawkins, the Darwin of Our Times 18. Mechanisms of Speciation 19. The Red Queen Effect 20. Evolution of Bipedal Apes and Humans Problem Set PART IV: DNA: A POWERFUL NEW TOOL 21. Introduction to DNA Technology 22. The Race to Discover DNA's Structure 23. Discovering the Secret to Life 24. Mutations and Junk DNA Problem Set PART V: DNA APPLIED TO PALEOANTHROPOLOGY 25. DNA Science Applied to Human Origins 26. Tracing Our Ape Heritage 27. The Age and Origin of Our Species 28. Out of Africa 29. Neanderthal-Human Interbreeding30. Denisovan-Human Interbreeding Problem Set PART VI: UNIQUELY HUMAN EVOLUTION 31. Bipedal Walking 32. Hairlessness 33. Big Brain Development 34. Speech and Language 35. Fire, Cooking, and Tools 36. Sex Problem Set PART VII: HOMO SAPIENS DOMINATE 37. Great Leap Forward 38. Agriculture and Civilization 39. The Journey from Ape to Man 40. What the Future Holds Problem Set Bibliography Index