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The Next Species: The Future of Evolution in the Aftermath of Man
While examining the history of our planet and actively exploring our present environment, science journalist Michael Tennesen describes what life on earth could look like after the next mass extinction.
A growing number of scientists agree we are headed toward a mass extinction, perhaps in as little as 300 years. Already there have been five mass extinctions in the last 600 million years, including the Cretaceous Extinction, during which an asteroid knocked out the dinosaurs. Though these events were initially destructive, they were also prime movers of evolutionary change in nature. And we can see some of the warning signs of another extinction event coming, as our oceans lose both fish and oxygen. In The Next Species , Michael Tennesen questions what life might be like after it happens.
Tennesen discusses the future of nature and whether humans will make it through the bottleneck of extinction. Without man, could the seas regenerate to what they were before fishing vessels? Could life suddenly get very big as it did before the arrival of humans? And what if man survives the coming catastrophes, but in reduced populations? Would those groups be isolated enough to become distinct species? Could the conquest of Mars lead to another form of human? Could we upload our minds into a computer and live in a virtual reality? Or could genetic engineering create a more intelligent and long-lived creature that might shun the rest of us? And how would we recognize the next humans? Are they with us now?
Tennesen delves into the history of the planet and travels to rainforests, canyons, craters, and caves all over the world to explore the potential winners and losers of the next era of evolution. His predictions, based on reports and interviews with top scientists, have vital implications for life on earth today.
A growing number of scientists agree we are headed toward a mass extinction, perhaps in as little as 300 years. Already there have been five mass extinctions in the last 600 million years, including the Cretaceous Extinction, during which an asteroid knocked out the dinosaurs. Though these events were initially destructive, they were also prime movers of evolutionary change in nature. And we can see some of the warning signs of another extinction event coming, as our oceans lose both fish and oxygen. In The Next Species , Michael Tennesen questions what life might be like after it happens.
Tennesen discusses the future of nature and whether humans will make it through the bottleneck of extinction. Without man, could the seas regenerate to what they were before fishing vessels? Could life suddenly get very big as it did before the arrival of humans? And what if man survives the coming catastrophes, but in reduced populations? Would those groups be isolated enough to become distinct species? Could the conquest of Mars lead to another form of human? Could we upload our minds into a computer and live in a virtual reality? Or could genetic engineering create a more intelligent and long-lived creature that might shun the rest of us? And how would we recognize the next humans? Are they with us now?
Tennesen delves into the history of the planet and travels to rainforests, canyons, craters, and caves all over the world to explore the potential winners and losers of the next era of evolution. His predictions, based on reports and interviews with top scientists, have vital implications for life on earth today.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 17, 2015
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852 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 15, 2015
The Next Species by Michael Tennesen is a decent book, well written, interesting and informative, but its title is rather misleading.
Instead of educated guesses and wild and awesome speculation about what might be, after humanity has finally succeeded in wiping itsself out, the books main focus is on the process of extinction itsself, mass extinctions of the past and how humanity is bringing about the next one.
There is some speculation - and some of it is interesting - but it's not a very thorough exploration of what might be and only takes place on the last few pages.
Among other things the author discusses the possibility of uploading your consciousness into the digital world - which was the only part I actually rather disliked about the book.
I know in our digital age it seems like the logical next step to take - and Tennesen is by far not the only one to consider it - but whenever the subject comes up people seem to forget that your consciousness is inextricably tied to your body.
Not to put too fine a point on it, you consciousness is your body, and scanning your brain - by slicing it into very fine bits, no less (which is the method Tennesen discusses) will - at most - yield an incomplete digital copy, that might even 'think' it's you (honorable mention of the Star Trek 'Warp Theory' at this point), but will not actually suffice to transfer your mind anywhere.
I know there are many, many different opinions on the nature of consciousness.
For some - especially if you believe in the existence of a soul - uploading your mind and leaving your body behind seems like a viable possibility, but to me it's somewhat dissapointing that, when discussing the matter, all research and theories on what constitues our consciousness are being ignored completely in favor of 'sci-fi-magic'.
(I'm sorry for being so geeky about this, I suppose I needed to vent)
Still, once I got over my disapointment, I did enjoy the book, so 3 stars it is.
Instead of educated guesses and wild and awesome speculation about what might be, after humanity has finally succeeded in wiping itsself out, the books main focus is on the process of extinction itsself, mass extinctions of the past and how humanity is bringing about the next one.
There is some speculation - and some of it is interesting - but it's not a very thorough exploration of what might be and only takes place on the last few pages.
Among other things the author discusses the possibility of uploading your consciousness into the digital world - which was the only part I actually rather disliked about the book.
I know in our digital age it seems like the logical next step to take - and Tennesen is by far not the only one to consider it - but whenever the subject comes up people seem to forget that your consciousness is inextricably tied to your body.
Not to put too fine a point on it, you consciousness is your body, and scanning your brain - by slicing it into very fine bits, no less (which is the method Tennesen discusses) will - at most - yield an incomplete digital copy, that might even 'think' it's you (honorable mention of the Star Trek 'Warp Theory' at this point), but will not actually suffice to transfer your mind anywhere.
I know there are many, many different opinions on the nature of consciousness.
For some - especially if you believe in the existence of a soul - uploading your mind and leaving your body behind seems like a viable possibility, but to me it's somewhat dissapointing that, when discussing the matter, all research and theories on what constitues our consciousness are being ignored completely in favor of 'sci-fi-magic'.
(I'm sorry for being so geeky about this, I suppose I needed to vent)
Still, once I got over my disapointment, I did enjoy the book, so 3 stars it is.
August 20, 2015
Have you seen Kingman The Secret Service? If not, you should, it's tons of fun. Anyway, this book reads exactly like something that might have inspired Samuel L. Jackson's character in that movie to come up with his culling plan. Because the earth is doomed and humans are putting it into an early grave. In this genius book Tennesen counts the ways in which the things above are facts along with giving the readers a brief summary of the history of life on earth, past, present and even future speculations. All told in a very accessible and even occasionally humorous fashion. I've read so much apocalyptic fiction, but this is possibly the most frightening and most fascinating account of the future and it isn't even fiction. It appears to be well researched and factually based, with a plethora of empirical evidence all pointing to an impending extinction, which'll be the 6th on the record. For the history lesson alone, this book was phenomenal. But throw in colonization of Mars, robotics, etc. and that's what makes it genius, the sheer range of it all. Tennesen's writing has a surprisingly (for non fiction) vivid quality to it, so much so that the book in parts read like one of those spectacular nature shows, so much so that no art of photos(traditionally present in the genre) were necessary. I learned a lot from this book, which was my main goal for reading it and in general, this was much like taking a very good class. Highly recommended.
March 17, 2015
I wish everyone would read this book. It’s a well-researched popular science overview of the current climate picture and the history of mass extinctions on the planet. It’s a step above Discovery Channel or NatGeo television, but not so high a step that members of Congress, for instance, couldn’t understand it. It’s hard not to be angry when there’s so much of our planet’s life at risk, and the author does a much better job than me, taking the approach of “How did we get here and what happens next?”
As well as the past and present, Tennesen takes us on a speculative journey to mankind’s future, on-planet and off. Which is a little scary, because some of the folks he talks about going to Mars plan to pretty much treat that planet the same way, filling it with nuclear waste whilst terraforming. So we are left with the central question: will humans survive to live new futures?
The problem with the future is not climate change, but humans. We are animals that move into a place, use up the resources, and move on. We pretend that our brains and perceptions make us better than all the other animals on the planet, but a look at current policies and behaviors proves our hubris. Climate change is happening, and the only real power we have is to adapt and possibly mitigate the effects.
“Extinction in reality is a simple process…This will come for man (sic) in five hundred, five thousand, or fifty thousand years as current rates of overpopulation, disease, or all the possibilities listed above continue. Toss in a nuclear war, an asteroid (a regular occurrence in our geological history), or a supervolcano (a major factor in the Permian and Cretaceous) and we’re there much faster.”
‘Stopping man from killing himself will take more than behavioral modification. Like a world of dieters fending off hunger, we would have to push back from the table of reproduction, renounce growth, and limit our use of natural resources in order not to hit that fatal inflection curve—to avoid the catastrophe of nature making those selections for us.”
Like most people handed a fatal diagnosis, the human race has been focusing on rage and denial. In fact, the diagnosis is more that of a chronic illness. It would be wise for us to curtail certain behaviors. Like children, the race is acting out—we’d rather fight than switch, die than change. No matter what we do, our children inherit a diminished world—though they have the opportunity, as did we, to adapt and change. What will change first, humans to fit into the world, or Nature, to make a world unfit for humans (and incidentally, most current living things)? The author leaves room for hope.
Life is amazing and wonderful and tenacious and will continue after humans, but we could grow and change with it—evolve. I hope there’s a grassroots miracle of small living and sustainability; it seems pretty obvious that the powers-that-be intend to leave a legacy of ashes and stone.
I received an EARC from the publisher and Netgalley for review.
As well as the past and present, Tennesen takes us on a speculative journey to mankind’s future, on-planet and off. Which is a little scary, because some of the folks he talks about going to Mars plan to pretty much treat that planet the same way, filling it with nuclear waste whilst terraforming. So we are left with the central question: will humans survive to live new futures?
The problem with the future is not climate change, but humans. We are animals that move into a place, use up the resources, and move on. We pretend that our brains and perceptions make us better than all the other animals on the planet, but a look at current policies and behaviors proves our hubris. Climate change is happening, and the only real power we have is to adapt and possibly mitigate the effects.
“Extinction in reality is a simple process…This will come for man (sic) in five hundred, five thousand, or fifty thousand years as current rates of overpopulation, disease, or all the possibilities listed above continue. Toss in a nuclear war, an asteroid (a regular occurrence in our geological history), or a supervolcano (a major factor in the Permian and Cretaceous) and we’re there much faster.”
‘Stopping man from killing himself will take more than behavioral modification. Like a world of dieters fending off hunger, we would have to push back from the table of reproduction, renounce growth, and limit our use of natural resources in order not to hit that fatal inflection curve—to avoid the catastrophe of nature making those selections for us.”
Like most people handed a fatal diagnosis, the human race has been focusing on rage and denial. In fact, the diagnosis is more that of a chronic illness. It would be wise for us to curtail certain behaviors. Like children, the race is acting out—we’d rather fight than switch, die than change. No matter what we do, our children inherit a diminished world—though they have the opportunity, as did we, to adapt and change. What will change first, humans to fit into the world, or Nature, to make a world unfit for humans (and incidentally, most current living things)? The author leaves room for hope.
Life is amazing and wonderful and tenacious and will continue after humans, but we could grow and change with it—evolve. I hope there’s a grassroots miracle of small living and sustainability; it seems pretty obvious that the powers-that-be intend to leave a legacy of ashes and stone.
I received an EARC from the publisher and Netgalley for review.
October 14, 2016
I'm not sure if "The Next Species" was the author's intended title or if the publisher insisted on it because that has little to do with the book.
Most of the book is a rehash of all the current environmental problems we are facing or will be facing shortly, peppered with information natural history and evolution. While I did learn some new stuff, I was rather bored by most of it and I doubt many readers will be unfamiliar with the issues reviewed.
The writing itself is sometimes annoying as well with the author often jumping around between subjects seemingly at random, occasionally even interrupting a discussion of a topic with a non sequitur before returning to it as though nothing had happened. The effect is jarring.
The final chapters do get around to the future of our species and the ecosystems of Earth, but as with the rest of the book, do it in a random and shallow way. As a result, I got the impression that the author did not have a lot to say about it.
Maybe if this had been a magazine article, it would have been worth reading. Conversely, if the book had a title and description more relevant to its contents, it might sit better with readers. Unfortunately, "The Next Species" offers little enough new information to be a worthwhile read regardless of the title.
Most of the book is a rehash of all the current environmental problems we are facing or will be facing shortly, peppered with information natural history and evolution. While I did learn some new stuff, I was rather bored by most of it and I doubt many readers will be unfamiliar with the issues reviewed.
The writing itself is sometimes annoying as well with the author often jumping around between subjects seemingly at random, occasionally even interrupting a discussion of a topic with a non sequitur before returning to it as though nothing had happened. The effect is jarring.
The final chapters do get around to the future of our species and the ecosystems of Earth, but as with the rest of the book, do it in a random and shallow way. As a result, I got the impression that the author did not have a lot to say about it.
Maybe if this had been a magazine article, it would have been worth reading. Conversely, if the book had a title and description more relevant to its contents, it might sit better with readers. Unfortunately, "The Next Species" offers little enough new information to be a worthwhile read regardless of the title.
December 6, 2014
I recieved this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review:
Reading about extinction level events is both humbling and daunting, and so sets the tone of this book. I am going to admit it straight up that reading this book was a chore, it started out really fascinating, covering the various mass extinctions throughout earth's history, as an arm-chair Paleontologist, I am quite familiar with them, but never tire of reading about a favorite subject. Ok, that sounds a little dark, extinction level events are not a favorite subject, but the way the earth evolved is.
The tone of the book quickly changed from un-biased science to very biased science. Yes, I am aware that humans are pretty destructive to our environment, we have an immense impact on the planet, but the author's tone is so negative that it just became unpleasant. Maybe it is because I spent a lot of my childhood in the 90s watching things like Ferngully and Captain Planet, but I am tired of the 'humans are horrible, awful, plagues on nature' attitude. A lot of people still suck, but a lot of people are trying to fix the things we have done, I still look at the situation with hope rather than outward dread.
I was also hoping the book would cover the way animals will evolve if man pops off, more along the lines of 'The Future is Wild' (a really excellent mini-series if your interest goes in that direction) but from what I could tell it never really got there. It was all scientific doom and gloom, humans will spoil the planet and then leave for Mars, that was somewhat optimistic.
Around the middle I started skimming and to be honest I just coulnd't finish it. I do not give up on a book very often, maybe the last third of the book was less unpleasant, but I could not make myself find out. I will say this in the book's credit, it was fantastically written and researched, the tone might be biased towards humans sucking, but at least it had the data to back those ideas up!
Reading about extinction level events is both humbling and daunting, and so sets the tone of this book. I am going to admit it straight up that reading this book was a chore, it started out really fascinating, covering the various mass extinctions throughout earth's history, as an arm-chair Paleontologist, I am quite familiar with them, but never tire of reading about a favorite subject. Ok, that sounds a little dark, extinction level events are not a favorite subject, but the way the earth evolved is.
The tone of the book quickly changed from un-biased science to very biased science. Yes, I am aware that humans are pretty destructive to our environment, we have an immense impact on the planet, but the author's tone is so negative that it just became unpleasant. Maybe it is because I spent a lot of my childhood in the 90s watching things like Ferngully and Captain Planet, but I am tired of the 'humans are horrible, awful, plagues on nature' attitude. A lot of people still suck, but a lot of people are trying to fix the things we have done, I still look at the situation with hope rather than outward dread.
I was also hoping the book would cover the way animals will evolve if man pops off, more along the lines of 'The Future is Wild' (a really excellent mini-series if your interest goes in that direction) but from what I could tell it never really got there. It was all scientific doom and gloom, humans will spoil the planet and then leave for Mars, that was somewhat optimistic.
Around the middle I started skimming and to be honest I just coulnd't finish it. I do not give up on a book very often, maybe the last third of the book was less unpleasant, but I could not make myself find out. I will say this in the book's credit, it was fantastically written and researched, the tone might be biased towards humans sucking, but at least it had the data to back those ideas up!
March 11, 2017
A very deceptive title, a very disorganized and even incoherent book that had a number of interesting details about specific aspects of ecological damage around the world, but never put together any coherent argument. It really broke down at the end, when he starts going on at silly length about living on Mars, and mining the resources of the asteroids, as if that would ever make economic sense. Especially offensive is the way he begins the Mars chapter: "If we spoil the earth, should we try another planet?" This is the morally disgusting argument I have heard a lot from science fiction nerds: we have to be ready to move off the earth when it is no longer habitable. We fucked up our home planet, so let's go somewhere else to fuck that up too. And the final chapters consider the situations that might spur further evolution of humans: having to live in a more noxious atmosphere, having to cope with another glacial period, being isolated from other groups, like animals are on islands, which would then spur evolution to fit the island environment. the more he writes, the less possible it was to read this with any interest.
I am all but incensed at the premise of the book. No effort is made to entertain the necessity of stopping fucking things up. Just keep shitting on our planet, and then wipe our asses and so somewhere else for the next bowel movement.
I will remember the offhandedly stupid proposals for terraforming Mars and sending one-way colonizers to set up shop and never come back. A pretty shitty book, all in all.
I am all but incensed at the premise of the book. No effort is made to entertain the necessity of stopping fucking things up. Just keep shitting on our planet, and then wipe our asses and so somewhere else for the next bowel movement.
I will remember the offhandedly stupid proposals for terraforming Mars and sending one-way colonizers to set up shop and never come back. A pretty shitty book, all in all.
May 30, 2017
I couldn't finish it. I made it a third of the way through the book, going through random environmental anecdote after anecdote, with no mention of the subject of the book. It wasn't like the author even said, "now remember this, it will tie in with the main subject of the book at some point...". Nope, there was no progression of ideas. No mention of how any of it had anything to do with a new human species. No explanation of why any of the factoids were important. I'm not necessarily an instant gratification kind of guy, but if the entire book is about a new human species, and after a third of the book, the subject isn't even mentioned, I feel like I've been suckered in by a bad car salesman. No thanks.
August 17, 2015
Excellent read regarding the history of the earth, which acted as a pressure relief regarding current scalding affairs by offering an objective view. The title, THE NEXT SPECIES, is more about the last few pages of Mr. Tennesen's fascinating, fact-driven presentation, but must have been deemed eye-catching as that subject is just a small part.
January 7, 2017
I was really fascinated with this book, "The Next Species: The Future of Evolution in the Aftermath of Man" by Michael Tennesen .
The History of the Earth is discussed. I skipped over the first few chapters as it covers everything on Biological Science covered in Bio 101 and probably second year as well but the author's idea is to give the reader enough background in Science about the Earth's evolution and it's relationship to other planets, of course including Mars.
Mars is Earth's favorite as humans have been curious about this planet for years and the possibility of life on Mars.
Most people are aware of the mass extinction that occurred some 600 million years ago, in the Creataceous period, when the dinosaurs were knocked out by an asteroid.
There are at least 4 other extinctions and the author and his team, cover these entirely. What is the possibility of another extinction within the next 300 years?
Too bad that unless I am able to extend my life expectancy, I won't be a witness to it- being facetious here, ha ha. Not even the babies born this year but we never know. How about the conscious and the subconscious mind placed into ________
Anyway, the author talks about rewilding, by reintroducing various animals to controlled parks (as a start) in a natural environment; coy wolves, coyotes, elephants etc as well as smaller animals and other living organisms. I am learning much about the importance of the flora and fauna.
In some places, rewilding is already being done (or tried). Spain, Portugal, parts of Canada and the U.S.
Apparently domesticated plants and animals are very dependent on the nurturing by humans and can not be "put back in the wild."
Tibetans have adapted to low oxygen levels (faster breathing). Human genes are evolving. Humans are changing more rapidly (100 times faster than a few thousand years ago) adapting to Earth changes.
The Viking Invaders are so different from their Swedish descendants.
Genes develop and mutations take place. A favorable mutation is a success, meaning a family of humans will be better able to fight off disease.--- this is just one example of how humans are adapting to changes in the environment.
Transition to agriculture way back in History- larger populations and more dense living conditions promoted virulent disease.
Who knows, he said, it is possible that the next Ice Age can be later than expected than sooner. The surface of the Earth will be transformed.
Humans are taller (compared with early humanoids) in the 21st century with a life expectancy of around 80 years.
Geological separation and cultural isolation produce new species. Scientists have observed the salamander population; looking and development of new species- He discussed Allopatric and Sympatric speciation.
What would the next species look like? Adapting to the world of Google and Information technology; possibly a sexy computer geek?
The History of the Earth is discussed. I skipped over the first few chapters as it covers everything on Biological Science covered in Bio 101 and probably second year as well but the author's idea is to give the reader enough background in Science about the Earth's evolution and it's relationship to other planets, of course including Mars.
Mars is Earth's favorite as humans have been curious about this planet for years and the possibility of life on Mars.
Most people are aware of the mass extinction that occurred some 600 million years ago, in the Creataceous period, when the dinosaurs were knocked out by an asteroid.
There are at least 4 other extinctions and the author and his team, cover these entirely. What is the possibility of another extinction within the next 300 years?
Too bad that unless I am able to extend my life expectancy, I won't be a witness to it- being facetious here, ha ha. Not even the babies born this year but we never know. How about the conscious and the subconscious mind placed into ________
Anyway, the author talks about rewilding, by reintroducing various animals to controlled parks (as a start) in a natural environment; coy wolves, coyotes, elephants etc as well as smaller animals and other living organisms. I am learning much about the importance of the flora and fauna.
In some places, rewilding is already being done (or tried). Spain, Portugal, parts of Canada and the U.S.
Apparently domesticated plants and animals are very dependent on the nurturing by humans and can not be "put back in the wild."
Tibetans have adapted to low oxygen levels (faster breathing). Human genes are evolving. Humans are changing more rapidly (100 times faster than a few thousand years ago) adapting to Earth changes.
The Viking Invaders are so different from their Swedish descendants.
Genes develop and mutations take place. A favorable mutation is a success, meaning a family of humans will be better able to fight off disease.--- this is just one example of how humans are adapting to changes in the environment.
Transition to agriculture way back in History- larger populations and more dense living conditions promoted virulent disease.
Who knows, he said, it is possible that the next Ice Age can be later than expected than sooner. The surface of the Earth will be transformed.
Humans are taller (compared with early humanoids) in the 21st century with a life expectancy of around 80 years.
Geological separation and cultural isolation produce new species. Scientists have observed the salamander population; looking and development of new species- He discussed Allopatric and Sympatric speciation.
What would the next species look like? Adapting to the world of Google and Information technology; possibly a sexy computer geek?
May 4, 2019
Was good indeed until near the end, where two separate sets of errors each were a one-star ding.
First, is it likely that H. sapiens will be "replaced," or "superceded" (not that that means "progress" as too many people wrongly think about evolution) by another species within the genus Homo? Yes indeed it's likely. Whether that means H. sapiens dies out, or we have parallel species (as, per the book, >>successful<< colonization of Mars would entail) is unknown.
Speaking of?
That was one of the two one-star errors.
Tennesen makes a number of unwarranted assumptions about how easy this would be. One subpart of that is that, although he notes Martian colonies would have to be underground, he doesn't explain who — soloar radiation. Nor does he explain that astronauts will be bombarded by this on the journey to Mars once they get beyond the Van Allen belts. (The moon is safely inside them, so astronauts to date haven't faced this.)
He's not alone; not only do Musk and others downplay this, but Stephen Hawking, when he first touted colonizing Mars, also overlooked this, and never fully corrected his errors.
This is of major importance for colonizing, as irradiated sperm and eggs don't produce good descendants. Yes, a sperm and egg bank could be placed in lead shielding, but you then assume you have doctors with in-vitro experience among early colonizers, etc., and soon, you're approaching Dr. Strangelove territory.
Tennesen also ignores how Martian gravity, 1/4 that of Earth, would affect human physiology. On this topic, that also includes questions of how it would affect pregnancy. This is nowhere discussed.
The second error is calling things like our great increase in height and doubling in average lifespan in modern developed societies heritable changes.
Other than the fact that environmental factors lead people who have genes for tallness, or the whole constellation of genes to live longer, to do so even more than they already had, this is totally untrue.
These changes are entirely due to public health — vaccines, refrigeration and other food safety, water and sewer systems, etc. As such, they apply to people with all genetic mixes within developed societies. And, to the degree that they are being extended to poor parts of Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, etc., means that we will NOT have H. Europeansis speciate away from H. Africanensis.
Major failure.
If Tennesen didn't mean anything like this, that then means he's a poor writer on a major issue.
First, is it likely that H. sapiens will be "replaced," or "superceded" (not that that means "progress" as too many people wrongly think about evolution) by another species within the genus Homo? Yes indeed it's likely. Whether that means H. sapiens dies out, or we have parallel species (as, per the book, >>successful<< colonization of Mars would entail) is unknown.
Speaking of?
That was one of the two one-star errors.
Tennesen makes a number of unwarranted assumptions about how easy this would be. One subpart of that is that, although he notes Martian colonies would have to be underground, he doesn't explain who — soloar radiation. Nor does he explain that astronauts will be bombarded by this on the journey to Mars once they get beyond the Van Allen belts. (The moon is safely inside them, so astronauts to date haven't faced this.)
He's not alone; not only do Musk and others downplay this, but Stephen Hawking, when he first touted colonizing Mars, also overlooked this, and never fully corrected his errors.
This is of major importance for colonizing, as irradiated sperm and eggs don't produce good descendants. Yes, a sperm and egg bank could be placed in lead shielding, but you then assume you have doctors with in-vitro experience among early colonizers, etc., and soon, you're approaching Dr. Strangelove territory.
Tennesen also ignores how Martian gravity, 1/4 that of Earth, would affect human physiology. On this topic, that also includes questions of how it would affect pregnancy. This is nowhere discussed.
The second error is calling things like our great increase in height and doubling in average lifespan in modern developed societies heritable changes.
Other than the fact that environmental factors lead people who have genes for tallness, or the whole constellation of genes to live longer, to do so even more than they already had, this is totally untrue.
These changes are entirely due to public health — vaccines, refrigeration and other food safety, water and sewer systems, etc. As such, they apply to people with all genetic mixes within developed societies. And, to the degree that they are being extended to poor parts of Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, etc., means that we will NOT have H. Europeansis speciate away from H. Africanensis.
Major failure.
If Tennesen didn't mean anything like this, that then means he's a poor writer on a major issue.
September 12, 2019
I give Tennesen props for research on evolution science (which takes up most of the book) and an approachable writing style. But geez, “The Future of Evolution in the Aftermath of Man” implies he’s going to offer us informed speculation about something more than what disasters might “take out” our species. We have already heard about most of them. At the least, I’d like the author to have presented ideas about what kinds of creatures might take our place if we are indeed wiped out (giant cockroaches, anyone?). At best, I’d like to hear what it might take physically for our species to survive Armageddon in some form (and no, I don’t mean cyber-brains). A good science fiction novel would have been more satisfying. Maybe we can interest Andy Weir, author of “The Martian,” in giving it a try.
February 15, 2020
This book is pretty great and full of many variations of the Earth after the 6th Extinction really starts to move a bit faster than it currently is. And while there are some sensationalism within some of these pages, yet many of his hypotheses about the next 'dominant species' after us are quite reasonable and nothing too out there for me to believe in....basically it has alot of talk about Bayesian determinism and also the Copernican theory about how we 'human beings are not special ' and of course our day will come and by that I mean either: our extinction or we leave this planet Earth. And of course the timeline of when we need to get out of here has been varied according to who is doing the hypothesizing.
January 30, 2024
《下一個物種》是本顯淺易讀的好書。
作者先從簡單介紹過往發生過的幾次大滅絕開始，再談到生命的發軔開端，之後再談到我們受傷的地球。
作者用了極大的篇幅講述地球的現況及當前面對的警兆。因全球暖化之故，土壤侵蝕流失，衝擊作物收成，隨著全球人口持續增長，對糧食的需求做成更大的壓力；而酸化的土壤又會減低植物的多樣性，結果造成更多全新的疾病；酸化的海洋會擴大海洋裡的無氧區，不單會令漁獲受損，更會破壞海洋的生物多樣性；作者擔心未來的海洋，可能就只會剩下能耐受低氧和酸性的生物——不是水母，便是章魚。
觀乎歷史，地球總能從歷劫低潮之後復原，生命亦自有其道，總能在浴火之後涅槃重生；有說哺乳類動物的平均歷史是一百萬年，而智人（人屬）至今已約有二十萬餘年的歷史。按著如此的思路，渴求智人延續到千秋萬代，不過是痴心妄想。本書的最後部份，就是要回答書名的問題：智人之後，下一個稱霸地球的物種，到底會是什麼？
作者提出兩個可能的答案：一是移民火星，二是持續演化，成為超越智人的物種。移民火星牽涉到極高的技術難度，顯然非今天的科技水平可以做到，但觀乎這幾年的科技發展，將地球還給其他動物而人類移民火星，已不是遙不可及的夢想；而將心智上傳到電腦，讓我們超越肉身，成為「神人」，是否不過是科幻小說家的想像？一旦「神人」的想像成真，想想今日我們如何對待自己的猿類祖先，要麼趕盡殺絕，要麼關到籠裡戲耍，又怎不教人心生驚怖？
三星好評，值得一看。
作者先從簡單介紹過往發生過的幾次大滅絕開始，再談到生命的發軔開端，之後再談到我們受傷的地球。
作者用了極大的篇幅講述地球的現況及當前面對的警兆。因全球暖化之故，土壤侵蝕流失，衝擊作物收成，隨著全球人口持續增長，對糧食的需求做成更大的壓力；而酸化的土壤又會減低植物的多樣性，結果造成更多全新的疾病；酸化的海洋會擴大海洋裡的無氧區，不單會令漁獲受損，更會破壞海洋的生物多樣性；作者擔心未來的海洋，可能就只會剩下能耐受低氧和酸性的生物——不是水母，便是章魚。
觀乎歷史，地球總能從歷劫低潮之後復原，生命亦自有其道，總能在浴火之後涅槃重生；有說哺乳類動物的平均歷史是一百萬年，而智人（人屬）至今已約有二十萬餘年的歷史。按著如此的思路，渴求智人延續到千秋萬代，不過是痴心妄想。本書的最後部份，就是要回答書名的問題：智人之後，下一個稱霸地球的物種，到底會是什麼？
作者提出兩個可能的答案：一是移民火星，二是持續演化，成為超越智人的物種。移民火星牽涉到極高的技術難度，顯然非今天的科技水平可以做到，但觀乎這幾年的科技發展，將地球還給其他動物而人類移民火星，已不是遙不可及的夢想；而將心智上傳到電腦，讓我們超越肉身，成為「神人」，是否不過是科幻小說家的想像？一旦「神人」的想像成真，想想今日我們如何對待自己的猿類祖先，要麼趕盡殺絕，要麼關到籠裡戲耍，又怎不教人心生驚怖？
三星好評，值得一看。
June 22, 2017
The topic of evolution and mass extinctions is an interesting one, and I liked how Michael Tennesen provided such a great amount of information in such an engaging manner. I enjoyed the book thoroughly, and it is a read that I highly recommend to those interested in learning more about scientific background and speculation surrounding the topic. It is amazing to see how some scientific speculation almost mirrors science fiction nowadays.
I obtained an advanced copy through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
I obtained an advanced copy through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2019
The book is a good source of information. It's incredible how it was combined of many information that came from a research and researchers, then put into one piece. The book was not hard to read at all, and it's just fun reading it because you are really getting information about how our society is changing today, changed before, and how it could get worse in the future. I would recommend this to people who cares about our planet because this type of book could really wake someone's up in what is going on today.
July 16, 2020
This is the story of the sixth extinction caused by men. Today biosphere is suffering huge losses of species and this can reverted back to men and cause our species to suffer and perhaps nudge us toward extinction.
The book goes on about how men wreck havoc on nature, not caring all the species that we pushed to extinction directly or indirectly. But eventually we are the one who will suffer because this loss of food web because the earth will recover one way or the other but we won't.
However, because the tittle is "the next species" i was expecting exactly that and this book does not deliver. I remember hitting the last page and think "that's it?". So three stars.
The book goes on about how men wreck havoc on nature, not caring all the species that we pushed to extinction directly or indirectly. But eventually we are the one who will suffer because this loss of food web because the earth will recover one way or the other but we won't.
However, because the tittle is "the next species" i was expecting exactly that and this book does not deliver. I remember hitting the last page and think "that's it?". So three stars.
July 2, 2022
This is a decent pop-sci introduction to modern hypotheses regarding mass extinction events and evolutionary mechanisms, with a bit of “humans are probably going to accidentally suicide as a species” thrown in for funsies.
Full review at Lone Star on a Lark
Full review at Lone Star on a Lark
January 18, 2018
I'm not a fan of travelogue/memoir style nonfiction books. The facts and science were interesting but the personal exposition bogged the book down. The author lacks passion so the book is exceptionally dry and textbook like.
January 17, 2019
Another Malthusian book. The author describes the same concern: human species experience over population, and nature is no longer able to support human life.
This book also questions a substantial statement: what is the purpose of humans living on earth?
This book also questions a substantial statement: what is the purpose of humans living on earth?
June 17, 2019
He has brought some disparate information together to show how we add a species may or may not survive into the future. It was interesting how the connections were made. Of course with this type of book you can not draw one specific conclusion.
October 13, 2024
I loved the historical references and the theories of the future but some parts seemed poorly written - repetitive, skipping around. Overall, it gives you things to think about and I greatly appreciate that.
April 24, 2018
A fascinating read
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August 6, 2021I made it about two thirds of the way through this book, but I could not finish it. I did mark it as read because I feel like I need credit for getting that far through it.
January 5, 2022
No new insight or wisdom in this book. It's a rehash of past extinctions until the final few chapters, and then some mediocre and general musings on our own extinction.
January 4, 2024
Not sure what to think of this book?
September 8, 2018
Finding hope in prospect of life after Homo sapiens.
March 7, 2017
One of the most terrifying books I've ever read. Pairs nicely with Elizabeth Kolbert's Sixth Extinction, but goes beyond by being more conclusive.
May 17, 2016
I don't read a lot of non-fiction, and I'm about as far away from being a science guy as it is possible to get, but I won a copy of this from Goodreads first-reads program, as it sounded quite interesting. What will happen in the future after man, what is the next species? Unfortunately, the book never really answers that question. It's not until the end of the book that it gets to looking at the future. Before that we get dissertations on (in order): previous mass extinction events; a history of life on earth; other hominid species and how that led to man's (homo sapiens) dominion; agricultural history and how we've developed and changed the soil; disease; changes in the ocean and aquatic life; local ecosystems - can humans survive if many other species vanish? - and water usage in the desert southwest; recovery of life and species after extinction events, using Mount St. Helen's and Krakatoa as microcosm examples; history and loss of large animals (mastodons, etc.); Mars, life on Mars, and the possible colonization of Mars. All interesting enough topics in their own right, but presented in an occasionally dry manner. I found it hard to make connections between them at times (that could just be me and my non-scientific background and mind). Finally, in the last two chapters, the author gets to what the book's subtitle promises and what I've been looking forward to. Here's what I took away from that: human evolution is dramatic, rapid, and ongoing. Global warming/environmental changes will lead to evolutionary changes. Will there be a new species? What will man evolve into? In the distant past, 4 species of hominids existed contemporaneously before homo sapiens outlived and outlasted the others. But what does that really mean? I'm still unclear on the differences between the hominid species (again, maybe just me). Some discussion on artificial intelligence (AI), robots, and uploading of consciousness into some type of cyber realm. (Yeah, the Matrix is mentioned.) If a new species emerges, what will cause it? It seems more likely that humankind will go extinct. What happens after that? That's the speculation I was hoping this book would provide (based on the title and subtitle), but didn't.
July 20, 2015
This book took me forever to read... mainly because it is just too ridiculously depressing. I know there are probably lots of books that cover the fact that humanity is on borrowed time, but I really can't compare the research so I will just focus on what this book covers. Tennesen spends a lot of space covering past extinctions and what the world looked like before humans. Fish and birds that were here as recent as one hundred years ago are now no longer in abundance. Food chains have been disrupted which damages an environment that is already being damaged by pollution. He then discusses how animals have evolved and the future evolution of animals after the extinction of the human race. The smallest section discusses the future of the human race and the possibility of an evolved human species. This is all fascinating and I thought the research was well organized and relatively easy to understand. It's not necessarily the best news but it does provide a lot of information to think about. I received this EGalley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2015
(ARC generously provided by Simon & Schuster)
I rather like this. It's a pragmatic view of the perfect storms that are mass extinction events and how there are signs that we are leading up to one. Throughout the book, other aspects are also explored: evolution of man and nature, evolutionary changes already under way, and the evolutionary changes likely to occur. One good example of evolution kicking in as a result of dire circumstances: tuskless and hornless animals. As a result of poaching, large animals in a Tanzania, Africa are shedding their tusks and horns in order to adapt to man. Blew my mind - nature always finds a way to survive and flourish.
Overall, It's not meant to point fingers (though come on, we can take SOME responsibility - pollution of the ocean for starters) - it's meant to say: extinction is just a natural part of life and humans are not impervious to it. Filled with other interesting observations, I highly recommend reading this.
I rather like this. It's a pragmatic view of the perfect storms that are mass extinction events and how there are signs that we are leading up to one. Throughout the book, other aspects are also explored: evolution of man and nature, evolutionary changes already under way, and the evolutionary changes likely to occur. One good example of evolution kicking in as a result of dire circumstances: tuskless and hornless animals. As a result of poaching, large animals in a Tanzania, Africa are shedding their tusks and horns in order to adapt to man. Blew my mind - nature always finds a way to survive and flourish.
Overall, It's not meant to point fingers (though come on, we can take SOME responsibility - pollution of the ocean for starters) - it's meant to say: extinction is just a natural part of life and humans are not impervious to it. Filled with other interesting observations, I highly recommend reading this.
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