The Story of Us Humans, from Atoms to Today's Civilization

Book excerpt: The Story of Us Humans explains human nature and human history, including the origins of our species, emotions, behavior, morals, and society. It explains what we are, how we got here, and where we are today by describing the origin, history, and current ways of our neighborhoods, religion, government, science, technology, and business. Written in plain language, it explains what astronomy, physics, geology, biology, chemistry, anthropology, history, religion, social science, and political science tell us about ourselves. Most everyone feels that human success is measured in terms of healthy and happy children and communities. Human thoughts and actions involve little besides love and children, spouse and family, community and justice because we are parenting mammals and social primates. Each of us simply wants to laugh and joke with our family and friends, pursue life, raise children and strive to be a valued and contributing member of our community. We have made incredible progress building civilization in just a few hundred generations using nothing except our animal minds. Have you wondered: * What are the laws of nature and how many laws are there? * How did molecular life begin and then evolve into worms fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, primates, and humans? * What are the differences between these animals? * How did we get from the Big Bang to bacteria and on to Christianity, democracy, and globalization? * What is life like for gatherer-hunters? * When did we first become farmers and first build cities, and what was life like at those times? * What was life like in Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Athens, 13th-century Cahokia, Medieval China and Europe, 19th-Century New England, Yoruban villages, and in the U.S. during the 1920s? * What was the Industrial Revolution and how has it changed our lives? * What are the Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, and Humanist religions and world views? * How have our wages, infant mortality rates, lifespans, crime rates, and poverty and inequality rates varied through the ages? * What are the biggest economic and social secrets in the U.S. today? * What are some meaningful goals and priorities for our civilization and how can we measure the success of our attempts to reach those goals? Includes questions, index, bibliography, and 1,200 internet links taking you to images, videos, and discussed documents.