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The Aquatic Ape
Argues that the physical differences between humans and apes can be accounted for by assuming that, at one point, our evolutionary ancestors returned to the sea
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
95 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Morgan
45 books44 followersWelsh feminist and proponent of the aquatic ape evolution theory, which claims that mankind evolved from sea-based apes.
Morgan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours for services to literature and to education.
Morgan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours for services to literature and to education.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 6, 2018
Morgan writes a popularized version of the aquatic ape hypothesis. Human ancestors back to adapt to a watery environment. Our fatty-layer bodies bear the truth of our past. We are like otters and whales. I am feeling my kinship with the animals of the Earth.
Accessibility is great. The language, diagrams, and photos explain very well. A high school science teachers group acknowledged the value of this gem.
If you are wondering where the missing link went, read this little book ;-)
Accessibility is great. The language, diagrams, and photos explain very well. A high school science teachers group acknowledged the value of this gem.
If you are wondering where the missing link went, read this little book ;-)
January 15, 2013
All throughout history, scientist have tried to find out how we evolved, and if we truly came from monkeys. Also in the theory that humans did come from monkeys, scientists have tried to find the missing link in are so called evolution. In the book, " The Aquatic Ape" by Elaine Morgan, the author tries to explain a theory of the evolution of man, to the reader. The book is in all entirety, just a theory.
In " The Aquatic Ape", Elaine Morgan tries to explain the theory that humans evolved to be what we are today, by having to move into the ocean. Morgan tries to explain that apes long ago faced rising sea levels, and that in turn caused apes to adapt to a more marine life style. In some parts of the story, Morgan explains that apes could have lost hair in order to swim better in water, and that could be one reason why humans today have less body hair than apes. In general, the whole story is just hypotheses that help support the author's theory.
All in all, " The Aquatic Ape" is a great book and a very intriguing read. It is very well done as a book that is just a theory, and supports it's theory very well. This book should definitely be read by anyone who is interested in human evolution, or is just looking for an interesting read.
In " The Aquatic Ape", Elaine Morgan tries to explain the theory that humans evolved to be what we are today, by having to move into the ocean. Morgan tries to explain that apes long ago faced rising sea levels, and that in turn caused apes to adapt to a more marine life style. In some parts of the story, Morgan explains that apes could have lost hair in order to swim better in water, and that could be one reason why humans today have less body hair than apes. In general, the whole story is just hypotheses that help support the author's theory.
All in all, " The Aquatic Ape" is a great book and a very intriguing read. It is very well done as a book that is just a theory, and supports it's theory very well. This book should definitely be read by anyone who is interested in human evolution, or is just looking for an interesting read.
March 6, 2019
Anyone who is looking for a read detailing anthropological fact should stay faaaaaar away from this book. The authors interpretations regarding human anatomy and development are bizarre and generally unsupported, to say the least. I should also not that the author did not have a background in anthropology.
However it was an entertaining read. It is for this reason I give it two stars.
However it was an entertaining read. It is for this reason I give it two stars.
October 8, 2023
About ten years after her success with 'The Descent of Woman', the author returned to the subject with this book and gave more prominence to the originator of the aquatic ape theory, Alister Hardy. This book concentrates on that side of it and drops the original feminist angle, maybe because the author felt progress had been made in the formerly male-centric field of anthropology and palaeontology.
The author makes use of discoveries since her original book, such as the beginning of protein analysis, a precursor of DNA sequencing. This puts the splitting off of hominids from the line that led to the gorilla and chimpanzee as being much more recent than originally thought, therefore reducing the long interval in which the purported move to water and back again (before anything drastic could happen such as losing our legs along the lines of seals, dolphins etc), could take place. That didn't appear to faze her however.
The end of the book is disorganised and peters out. Not only are there appendices which include, among other things, Hardy's original article setting forth his theory and his follow- ups - which reveal that he didn't go the whole hog but rather suggested that our hominid ancestors spent about 5 hours a day in water - but the final chapter is a reprint of a paper by a man from the Washington Naval Research Laboratory who made an investigation into whereabouts the suggested aquatic migration could have taken place. The penultimate chapter doesn't reach any conclusion or warn the reader that the author's input has ended. As as a reader I was expecting a conclusion after La Lumiere's research, which would be more appropriately included as an appendix. So the book came to a limping halt for me.
The style in which it is written is much more academic in tone with none of the jokey or pithy remarks of 'The Descent of Woman' and comes across as a bit dry. Altogether, I would award this an OK 2 stars.
The author makes use of discoveries since her original book, such as the beginning of protein analysis, a precursor of DNA sequencing. This puts the splitting off of hominids from the line that led to the gorilla and chimpanzee as being much more recent than originally thought, therefore reducing the long interval in which the purported move to water and back again (before anything drastic could happen such as losing our legs along the lines of seals, dolphins etc), could take place. That didn't appear to faze her however.
The end of the book is disorganised and peters out. Not only are there appendices which include, among other things, Hardy's original article setting forth his theory and his follow- ups - which reveal that he didn't go the whole hog but rather suggested that our hominid ancestors spent about 5 hours a day in water - but the final chapter is a reprint of a paper by a man from the Washington Naval Research Laboratory who made an investigation into whereabouts the suggested aquatic migration could have taken place. The penultimate chapter doesn't reach any conclusion or warn the reader that the author's input has ended. As as a reader I was expecting a conclusion after La Lumiere's research, which would be more appropriately included as an appendix. So the book came to a limping halt for me.
The style in which it is written is much more academic in tone with none of the jokey or pithy remarks of 'The Descent of Woman' and comes across as a bit dry. Altogether, I would award this an OK 2 stars.
November 8, 2019
Loved this short & concise intro to the aquatic ape theory. Especially love the theory - ever since reading about it I have been fascinated with the concept. It seems to make a lot of sense and account for things that the savannah and neoteny theories cannot.
April 25, 2019
Elaine Morgan explaining the reason why we develop bipedalism, naked skin, sweating, salty tears, and subcutaneous fat. It was a fantastic read!
December 19, 2020
Very insightful and ground breaking. The important part that women played in evolution very well explained in a book.
February 8, 2026
Mermaids exist!
June 28, 2022
read this for a paper and honestly was quite engaging I didn't mind reading it at all! that being said everything the author writes is extremely speculative and backed by literally nothing. definitely interesting and creative theory though!
September 2, 2014
For lay readers, rather than evolution professionals and wonks. A short primer on the arguments surrounding this theory about human origins. For the reader who wishes to read more, there is her previous book, "The Descent of Woman" and even more can be found on the gender politics of doing science. Her advocacy of the theory (originally proposed by others) became the focal point of some truly vicious rebuttal by the boys club of anthropologists. To date no one has really attacked the ideas thoroughly. I would also say that the evolutionary biologists have essentially ignored the proposals. To be fair some of the tenets of the aquatic origin theory are difficult to test.
May 24, 2012
If you're interested in the AAH, skip this book and read The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis, this one is outdated.
September 22, 2016
Morgan goes into a little more detail in explaining why the peculiarities of human physiology convince her that we are aquatic apes.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews