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Born in Africa

The Quest for the Origins of Human Life

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Born in Africa

By: Martin Meredith
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
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About this listen

Africa does not give up its secrets easily. Buried there lie answers about the origins of humankind. After a century of investigation, scientists have transformed our understanding about the beginnings of human life. But vital clues still remain hidden.

In Born in Africa, Martin Meredith follows the trail of discoveries about human origins made by scientists over the last hundred years, recounting their intense rivalry, personal feuds, and fierce controversies, as well as their feats of skill and endurance. The results have been momentous. Scientists have identified more than 20 species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans. They have revealed how early technology, language ability, and artistic endeavour all originated in Africa; and they have shown how small groups of Africans spread out from Africa in an exodus 60,000 years ago to populate the rest of the world. We have all inherited an African past.

©2011 Martin Meredith (P)2011 Audible, Inc. Africa Anthropology Archaeology Earth Sciences Evolution World Palaeontology Genetics

Critic Reviews

"An appealing account of human evolution and the fiercely competitive anthropologists who are unearthing our ancestors’ remains and arguing over what they mean…. The author does a superb job of describing the nuts-and-bolts of field research, the meaning of the often headline-producing findings and the ever-changing variety of species who split off from the common ancestors of chimpanzees and hominids." ( Kirkus Reviews)

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Profile Image for Mark Cooper

Excellent overview.

Interesting overview and was surprised at the behaviour of some of the actors. Went to school with Phillip Leakey and Louis Leakey taught me how to preserve and mount small animals and birds in the sixties.

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