The Knowledge Gene: The incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity

by Lynne Kelly

Drawing on a major discovery with tremendous implications, an Australian researcher has uncovered the source of human creativity and learning in the functioning of a supergene she calls the knowledge gene.

Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey transforming our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. Then just a few thousand years ago, humans gradually outsourced knowledge to writing, and we displaced art and music from the heart of learning.

This is the extraordinary story of the discovery of a supergene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify the gene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition.

The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The discovery of the knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and into the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.

The Knowledge Gene shows that we can all access the full power of our memories, without giving up any of the advantages of writing and technology. The implications for learning and creativity at any age are profound.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Audiobook

458 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2024

About the author

My new book, The Knowledge Gene was be published in Australia and NZ in 2024, and early in 2025 for North America. It is the culmination of all my work on knowledge systems and memory. It is the scientific evidence humans are all genetically encoded to use our uniquely human skills in music, art, spatial abilities, story and performance to store and convey knowledge - and have been doing so for at least 70,000 years! We all have so much more potential that we are using.

I did a PhD on the way indigenous cultures memorise vast amounts of information when they don't use writing. Knowledge and Power in Prehistoric Societies was published by Cambridge University Press in 2015 and explains the implications for archaeology, offering new interpretations for the purpose of monuments around the world including Stonehenge, the statues of Easter Island and the huge images on the desert at Nasca.

The Memory Code (2016) presented this approach for the general reader. There was an overwhelming response to the book, asking how to implement the memory methods in contemporary life. That is the theme of Memory Craft.. Songlines: the power and promise is co-authored with Indigenous writers, Margo Neale and leads the First Knowledges series. Songlines for Younger Readers was published in 2023, leading the children's series. Both Songlines books have been shortlisted for major awards.

I grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and now live in rural Castlemaine. I started writing as a child and am the author of ten books for schools written during my teaching career, and a novel, Avenging Janie. I then started writing popular science, publishing three books, The Skeptic's Guide to the Paranormal, Crocodile: evolution's greatest survivor and Spiders: learning to love them.

Reviews

[Lidya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 3/4 mark of this book had me thinking I was gonna have to bump it down to a four, but that last part just blew me away.

There are few books that I know absolutely nothing about, but come out being like "I'm so glad I stumbled upon that" but this is one of them.

Initially, I thought this would be one of your typical, heavily academic, science-based books but this ended up being so much more than that. Kelly masterfully weaves in an amalgamation of multiple disciplines from history to anthropology, linguistics, memory and so much more. She balances her narration between anecdotal stories to more factual evidence of how the NF1 (referred to in the book as the knowledge gene) has allowed us to recall and store so much information. I've always been fascinated by how Indigenous cultures have been able to retain so much of their history, customs & wisdom and to have so much of this book dedicated to exploring this exact topic was such a delight.

Suffused throughout the entire novel is this hope and unwavering belief that every person has the ability, which Kelly purports is due to it being genetically encoded in our species, to memorise vast amounts of information, if we do so through the mediums that are most optimal for their storage- through art, performance & music.

Deadass now I'm gonna memorise 1000 digits of pi

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this amazing work by Dr Lynne Kelly in just over 2 days. I literally couldn’t put it down! Having followed Lynne’s research through her previous works, I was extremely excited to receive an advance copy of The Knowledge Gene. It didn’t disappoint! The breadth and depth of research undertaken and conveyed by Lynne is both astounding and impressive, as are the conclusions Lynne draws throughout. It, and her work to date really, culminates in a power-packed penultimate Chapter 11 - reinforcing the importance of art and music in everyday life. I don’t want to steal any of Lynne’s thunder - this is a book written in a very readable style, accessible and understandable by all, and, in my opinion, a book everybody should read. I’m now going to re-read it and continue thinking, absorbing, reflecting & evaluating all it contains. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

[Morvling Bookink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing to learn about how art and music is LITERALLY what makes us human on a BIOLOGICAL LEVEL. And how the education system does not work on the most fundmental level. I learnt so much from this book and I'm going to try implement it into learning languages this year (I'm trying to learn Irish, and a bit of Spanish and German maybe). I do feel like this book could have been shorter because a lot was repetitive but that's also the nature of scientific work I suppose even though this was not an academic paper and was very accessible to read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are fascinating chapters about ancient knowledge systems before writing was invented. The history of learning systems is highly recommended- it’s a great read. Chapters 1-10 great read.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book. For those who have to wait just a little longer, get ready for yet another mind altering experience from Dr Lynne Kelly. Her previous books, The Memory Code and Memory Craft have profoundly expanded the way I see the world, how I absorb and experience knowledge, and how I teach. And now The Knowledge Gene! Another brilliant exploration into our creative capabilities and potential as humans.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had gotten to this book because of my investigation into memory techniques, in which the Magnetic Memory podcast had interviewed the author of this book,
By impulse i bought it, and this has to be as of this date the longest book ive read and fastest ive ever completed a book.

This book is spectacular, it’s writing feels similar to that of a lecture from a professional, which embodies that conversational-feel i love in the books. With weaving of historical links aswell as modern interview inserts, it was a wonderful contextual book for this era in time which i will speak from my own neurodivergent perspective, have began to embrace strengths which had been lost to complacency and fear.

I actually didnt care too much about history going into this book, but the way that storytelling was explained by indigenous communities have given me a heartfelt appreciation for the many avenues in which humanity is able to transfer knowledge. Having my preconceptions about mythologies and my understanding of rock art to be broken, and then enriched with a newfound insight. I want to know! I want to learn! I want to remember.

Inspirational!! thats what this book felt like, I cruised through with a smile and highly anticipated the conclusions to be drawn within the latter half.
However, that expectation fell on my head as it’s further exploration into defining particular mnemonic devices really felt like it drew away from that sweet big picture i was digging for, which was how to enrich my own humanity. Its okay, I do not mind that there was no 10 step process in how to enhance your memory, that was never the scope of this book, but I will speak of my own subjective feelings cus i want to hehe.

My last piece would be that Id like to see a book that evolves with the newfound understanding of delivery, such as those little doodles that are made in books, visual imagery. It would be nice, just to see something different. i am absolute sucker for meaning conveyed by things other than words (though lets not point out that may be because of my inattention)

ok now its time to somehow encode this all into a mnemonic… oh geeez..
7/10

[Shontelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite technical and hard to pay attention but I finished this on my run today 😁

[The Bibliognost Bampot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating. Brilliantly well written, extremely complex concepts clearly and easily explained. Explained a lot about my own kids.

[Damian Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable book - challenged the way I had thought about diversity.

[Kate Melville-Rea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content: 4 stars; Language: 3 stars as could have used some help from chatGPT to condense and organise.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly changed the way I see humanity with the most captivating and eye-opening book I've read to date. Do not miss this brilliant new research.