Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived

Science writer Chip Walter asks why Homo sapiens survived when about two dozen other human species died out. He argues that our ancestors' premature births and long childhoods made our brains more flexible, allowing us to learn, cooperate and create culture. Walter explores how traits such as language, self-awareness, morality and imagination developed, and what they mean for our future.

Recommended by 1 person

Shane Parrish: “The fascinating and somewhat counter-intuitive tale of how being born more prematurely than others, a uniquely long and rich childhood full of play actually helped us increase the odds of survival. While this isn’t as good as Song of the Dodo in terms of science writing, it’s up there”