Hubris: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Humanity

by Johannes Krause, Thomas Trappe, Sharon Howe (translator)

Humans are the most intelligent beings this planet has ever produced. But how is it that we can travel into space, cure diseases and decode the fundamentals of life, and at the same time find ourselves faced with an existential crisis that threatens to overwhelm us? What lies behind this uncharacteristic failure to master the most important challenge of our existence?

In this compelling book, the leading archaeogeneticist Johannes Krause and the journalist Thomas Trappe investigate what DNA can tell us about how we got where we are and what our future might be. They show how the first humans were defeated again and again and suffered fatal setbacks, and how Homo sapiens succeeded in conquering continents, overcoming natural borders, and bringing other species under its control. But the genetic blueprint that enabled us to get to the place where we are today had one it didn’t factor in planetary boundaries. Now that we are approaching those boundaries for the first time after millions of years of evolution, an urgent question can we learn to live within the available planetary limits, or are we doomed by our DNA to continue to expand, consume, and absorb the resources around us to the point of exhaustion, consigning ourselves and other species to extinction? Has our seemingly unstoppable rise met its ultimate end?

While the looming climate crisis does not augur well for humanity’s capacity to adapt to the new situation in which it finds itself, we are not at the mercy of our DNA – or at least we don’t have to be. But can we harness the lessons of the past to survive the present?

Now available as an audiobook.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2024

About the author

Johannes Krause is a German biochemist with a research focus on historical infectious diseases and human evolution. Since 2010, he has been professor of archaeology and paleogenetics at the University of Tübingen.

Reviews

[Chillah Moezi · Rating 5 out of 5]

For all our intelligence, humans have a strange habit of walking themselves right into disaster. We can explore the deep oceans, create artifical intelligence, build telescopes that allow us to “look back in time” just a few hundred years after the Big Bang, map the human genome, and create vaccinations, but somehow, we find oursleves also on the brink of self-destruction. How did we get so good at solving problems yet so bad at preventing the biggest one of all: our own downfall?

In Hubris: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Humanity (2025), archaeogeneticist Johannes Krause and journalist Thomas Trappe take a deep dive into our DNA to uncover the story of how we got here and what might come next. Looking back into history, the first humans struggled and failed repeatedly, but Homo sapiens eventually spread across the globe, conquered new lands, and even bent nature to their will. However, our evolutionary success was never designed to recognize limits. In today’s modern, digital age, we’re facing the realities and boundaries with countlessess challenges. Are we capable of transitioning and learning to live sustainably, or are we biologically hardwired to consume beyond our planet’s means until there’s nothing left? It’s quite the conundrum, no?

Hubris is a compelling exploration about human evolution and the challenges we face today that may be able to give one an answer to that question. The authors delve into our species’ history, examining how Homo sapiens have risen to unprecedented heights, often at the expense of the planet and other species. They argue that our intelligence and adaptability have led to overexploitation of resources, environmental degradation, and the brink of self-destruction. The book raises critical questions about whether we can learn from our past to navigate the future responsibly. It’s a great read for anyone interested in understanding how our evolutionary journey has shaped the world today and what it means for our future. 

Also, the writers do not sugarcoat the challenges ahead, especially with climate change threatening everything we’ve built. However, Krause and Trappe argue that our genes don’t have to be our fate. History has shown that humans can adapt, but the big question of all is… Will we, before it’s too late?

[Pia De G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history of our species and its evolution and spread, to the detriment of other human like species and to countless types of megafauna that perished in our inexorable march across the planet. The authors take you from the great ape ancestors to the rise of hominins to the development of the Neanderthals and Denisovans and other human-like species to the eventual dominance of Homo sapiens, discussing theories as to why this one species dominated and all the rest disappeared. Then there is an elucidation of the various waves of Homo sapiens such the hunter gatherers who eventually are overwhelmed by Neolithic farmers who in turn are overrun by horse people of the steppes. One of the fascinating things about this history is that these events still echo in genomes of populations today. For example, Brahmins, who used to be mainly from North India-and are the highest caste in Indian culture have the highest proportion of equestrian invader genes compared to non Brahmins. So a conquering people from thousands of years ago continue to exert dominance through thousands of generations til the present day.
A bit dense with discussions genetics and of waves of migration out of Africa and back and forth , up and down the globe multiple times by multiple groups of people. Also it’s in translation so the writing isn’t super smooth but it’s accessible. That’s why 4 instead of 5 stars. It’s also depressing reading about the violence towards “the other”, towards females, depredation of nature etc.
Anyway a lot of meaty topics to ponder (oh yes, there is a discussion about the switch from veg to meat and brain growth too). And I still find myself thinking about the book a few days after finishing it.

[G Barney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! The best.

[Jonathan Brat · Rating 2 out of 5]

The preview section (first two-ish chapters) was so well written that I decided to buy the ebook. The concluding remarks don’t break any new ground, but the arguments were thought provoking. The upsetting part was the middle 80% of this thing which was a total afterthought. Felt like this guy’s editors spent all their efforts refining the preview in order to drive sales and then promptly punched out.

[Gregory Buczek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I have ever highlighted a book more than this one. It is filled with so much fascinating information. I highly recommend this book.