02441nam 2200481 450 991015472270332120230810001453.00-19-870453-40-19-100970-9(CKB)3710000000971694(MiAaPQ)EBC4774193(EXLCZ)99371000000097169420170118h20172017 uy 0engurcnu||||||||rdacontentrdamediardacarrierThe cradle of humanity how East Africa became the birthplace of the brainy ape /Mark Maslin ; foreword by Richard LeakeyFirst edition.New York, New York :Oxford University Press,2017.©20171 online resource (256 pages) illustrations, tables, photographs0-19-870452-6 0-19-100971-7 Includes bibliographical references 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.Human ecologyAfricaHuman geographyAfricaAfricaEnvironmental conditionsHuman ecologyHuman geography304.2096Maslin Mark629384Leakey RichardMiAaPQMiAaPQMiAaPQBOOK9910154722703321The cradle of humanity2889695UNINA