Who We Are and How We Got Here

Who We Are and How We Got Here

Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past
by David Reich
Science 28 min read ★★★★☆ 4.3 (197)
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About This Book

Who We Are and How We Got Here (2018) takes readers on a journey through the world’s anthropological history, demonstrating that people have continually migrated and mixed over time. Recent scientific advances are allowing scientists to study human DNA from the distant past and compare it to that of those alive today. The insights about humans’ origins are both fascinating and revealing.

Who Should Read This?

  • Scientists with burgeoning interests in anthropology and languages
  • Ethno-nationalists looking to have their views challenged
  • Genealogists looking for the bigger picture

About the Author

David Reich is a professor of genetics at Harvard University and a leading expert on ancient DNA. He was commended in 2015 for his role in the ancient DNA revolution and received the Dan David Prize for Archaeological and Natural Sciences in 2017 thanks to his work uncovering the interbreeding between Neanderthals and the ancestors of modern humans.