Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human History is a Sunday Times best-seller which examines the whole history of the earth and our species in particular.

What does this book cover?

Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human History doesn’t look at great leaders, political philosophies or famous battles to define history. It goes much deeper, examining what we know about how we as a species evolved to fit our environment, and how that basic nature still drives our behaviour today.

This book looks at parts of earth’s story like:

• The way the Himalayas affect the earth’s orbit
• How the British Isles were formed
• How the terrain of Eastern Africa defined what it was to be human
• The way the landscape of Greece affected the development of democracy
• How ancient sea beds define American politics today

About the Author 

Dr Lewis Dartnell teaches at the University of Westminster, where he specialises in science communication and astrobiology. His work has been celebrated by journals like New Scientist, The Times and The Guardian. He frequently appears in television, and is an expert in the prospects of life on Mars.

Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human History is an exploration of what it means to be human, and how the earth itself defines us as a species.