50 Great Myths of Human Evolution

by John H. Relethford

50 Great Myths of Human Evolution uses common misconceptions to explore basic theory and research in human evolution and strengthen critical thinking skills for lay readers and students.Examines intriguing--yet widely misunderstood--topics, from general ideas about evolution and human origins to the evolution of modern humans and recent trends in the field Describes what fossils, archaeology, and genetics can tell us about human origins Demonstrates the ways in which science adapts and changes over time to incorporate new evidence and better explanations Includes myths such as "Humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs;" "Lucy was so small because she was a child;" "Our ancestors have always made fire;" and "There is a strong relationship between brain size and intelligence" Comprised of stand-alone essays that are perfect for casual reading, as well as footnotes and references that allow readers to delve more deeply into topics

Genres: Science, Evolution, Nonfiction

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 19, 2016

About the author

John H. Relethford is an American biological anthropologist and Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the State University of New York at Oneonta. He is also an adjunct professor at Binghamton University.

Reviews

[Craig Amason · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ambitious collection of essays employing an interesting and effective approach to explaining how human evolution has worked over the vast span of geological time. By dispelling the 50 myths Relethford chooses for his book (he probably could have come up with at least 50 more had he the inclination), he manages to touch on the most basic and important elements of the science behind how homo sapiens evolved. To support his claims, the author includes a plethora of examples throughout the living world to illustrate how species evolve and why.

Some of the most significant myths this book addresses have to do with the age old misconceptions of the relationship between modern humans and the other primates. Relethford does a good job of spelling out how the various genera and species within the primate order can be traced back to an unknown common ancestor. When modeling evolution, he embraces the more commonly accepted analogy of a bush instead of a tree, taking into account the complicated and even tangled network of branches that make up the evolutionary past for most if not all living things. Human evolution is included in this model, and the author spends considerable time discussing the numerous extinct hominid lines that preceded homo sapiens.

Relethford is a retired teacher, and his book reads like a class lecture, only entertaining! He manages to keep the science accessible for a general audience without oversimplifying his topics. When he has to resort to the occasional simplification or broad overview, he warns his readers but encourages us to dig deeper if we are interested in learning more. Again, he is a teacher at heart. This book is a bit dated now, especially considering how quickly anthropological fieldwork and research changes the knowledge base of evolutionary biology. Even so, most of the broken myths are still holding up just fine based on other recent books I've read on the topic. It is yet another solid introduction to human origins and evolution.

[Joe Dang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summary of all the latest facts and expert opinions about fossils and DNA evidence of long dead creatures that may have been ancestors to human beings. This author summarizes many arguments and offers supporting data to refute or support historical theories regarding the evolution of humans. He does not offer too many personal opinions but mostly summarizes the arguments of others.

Overall, a great summary of the knowledge base in this field with data up to 2017. I fun read.

[Cal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book, definitely learned things. Some of the myths were redundant and previously covered, and sometimes the author got too technical for a book catered to non experts in the field. Overall enjoyed it and can say I learned from it.

[Sanaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب يتحث عن خمسين خرافة في ما يتعلق بالتطور البيولوجي للانسان
الفصل الاول عن خرافات عن التطور
الفصل الثاني خرافات عن أصل الانسان
the Genus Homoالفصل الثالث خرافات عن
والذي يتفرع منه الإنسان الحديث
الفصل الرابع عن الخرافات المتعلقة بتطور الانسان الحالي وبالمستقبل

[Mohammad Rameez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. Summarizes the human evolution in brief. Clarified me the concept of y chromosomes and mitochondrial DNA.

[Guy Lenk · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book. Being broken up into 'bite-sized' chunks I didn't find it as engaging as it could have been. However, it was an informative read.

[Tia Seymanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed having 50 essays about 50 great myths of human evolution all in one place! Highly recommend following this book up with Seven Skeletons. This book covers everything from evolution of moths, stomach size, brain size, dna, construction of pyramids, and my personal favorite gigantopithecus. Highly recommend!