Who We Are And How We Got Here by David Reich
Who We Are And How We Got Here by David Reich, a Harvard genetics professor, is a fascinating overview for the lay person of the exploding field of ancient DNA studies. With the rapidly expanding genetic technology and improved techniques for extracting ancient DNA, this field has greatly added to, refined, and in some way turned upside our understanding of human history.
Much about how the different human and pre-human beings mixed, migrated, and reproduced is opening up to us through the advancement in genetics. This is fascinating science is upending many of our long-held theories about who were first people on continents, race, genealogy and more.
Much of the new innovation in genetics allowing the whole genome to be mapped in cost effective ways, is even completely reshaping some of your ideas on human history learned from early stages of genetics like mapping the mitochondrial DNA passed on solely by mothers. The science is progressing and unfolding at incredible paces.
The author does a great job of making a highly technical field accessible to the lay person in an enjoyable and exciting way. That being said, this book might still be biting more than you can chew if you are just looking for a relaxing novel to chill with. For all the rest with curiosity and an appetite for keeping up with the innovation and break throughs of modern times this is a great read so as usual, Hit The Books, They Don’t Hit Back!
