The cradle of humanity : how East Africa became the birthplace of the brainy ape / / Mark Maslin ; foreword by Richard Leakey

• Autore: Maslin Mark
• Pubblicazione: New York, New York : , : Oxford University Press, , 2017; ©2017
• Edizione: First edition.
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (256 pages) : illustrations, tables, photographs
• Disciplina: 304.2096
• Soggetto topico: Human ecology - Africa; Human geography - Africa
• Soggetto geografico: Africa Environmental conditions
• Persona (resp. second.): LeakeyRichard
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Early human evolution -- Tectonics and climate -- Cradle of humanity -- Global climate change -- Celestial mechanics -- African climate pulses -- The social brain -- The future of humanity.
• Sommario/riassunto: 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.
• Titolo autorizzato: The cradle of humanity
• ISBN: 0-19-870453-4; 0-19-100970-9
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910154722703321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II