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Bret Stetka

A History of the Human Brain: From the Sea Sponge to CRISPR, How Our Brain Evolved Hardcover – March 16, 2021

by Bret Stetka (Author)

4.5 156 ratings

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“Crack open this book and take a read. You will be transported, illuminated, and delighted.” —Psychology Today

Just 125,000 years ago, humanity was on a path to extinction, until a dramatic shift occurred. We used our mental abilities to navigate new terrain and changing climates. We hunted, foraged, tracked tides, shucked oysters—anything we could do to survive. Before long, our species had pulled itself back from the brink and was on more stable ground. What saved us? The human brain—and its evolutionary journey is unlike any other.

In A History of the Human Brain, Bret Stetka takes us on this far-reaching journey, explaining exactly how our most mysterious organ developed. From the brain’s improbable, watery beginnings to the marvel that sits in the head of Homo sapiens today, Stetka covers an astonishing progression, even tackling future brainy frontiers such as epigenetics and CRISPR. Clearly and expertly told, this intriguing account is the story of who we are. By examining the history of the brain, we can begin to piece together what it truly means to be human.

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Timber Press
Publication date

March 16, 2021
Dimensions

6.38 x 0.94 x 9.38 inches
ISBN-10

1604699884
ISBN-13

978-1604699883
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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

Becoming carnivorous was among the most dramatic plot twists in the human story—it helped balloon our brain size.
Highlighted by 74 Kindle readers
Three-hundred-thousand years ago, Earth was populated by at least nine known human species.
Highlighted by 64 Kindle readers
Omnivorism was crucial to our survival. A varied diet meant we could adapt to shifting food supplies brought on by climate change.
Highlighted by 49 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A History of the Human Brain is a unique, enlightening, and provocative account of the most significant question we can ask about ourselves.” —Richard Wrangham, author of The Goodness Paradox

“One of the most lucid, clear-eyed, and talented science writers of our time—Bret Stetka—now turns his attention to the evolution of the human brain, taking us on a captivating journey from its origins to the present, enhancing our understanding of how this phenomenal organ and its 100 billion neurons work.” —Eric Topol, MD, author of Deep Medicine

“Clear, evidence based and engrossing. What we know about how the human brain works could fit on a figurative pinhead. But if you want to understand what we know about its evolution, this book is a terrific resource.” —Felice Jacka, PhD, director of the Food Mood Centre, Deakin University, Australia

“There are lots of ideas out there about consciousness and the human brain—the untidy product of millions of years of evolution. Bret Stetka comes as close as you could hope to making sense of them in this entertaining and wide-ranging book.” —Ian Tattersall, curator emeritus, Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History

“Crack open this book and take a read. You will be transported, illuminated, and delighted.” —Psychology Today

“Science journalist Bret Stetka takes the reader on a roller coaster ride up the evolutionary trail from the sponge to modern man.” —The San Francisco Book Review

“A readable and engaging history of how our most mysterious organ developed over time… from the brain’s improbable and watery beginnings to the super-complex marvel that’s found within the head of Homo sapiens today.” —The Genetic Literacy Project

“Stetka offers an accessible look at this rather complex organ, using a succinct narrative approach.” —The Columbia Tribune

“A History of the Human Brain is a unique, enlightening, and provocative account of the most significant question we can ask about ourselves.” —Richard Wrangham, author of The Goodness Paradox

“One of the most lucid, clear-eyed, and talented science writers of our time—Bret Stetka—now turns his attention to the evolution of the human brain, taking us on a captivating journey from its origins to the present, enhancing our understanding of how this phenomenal organ and its 100 billion neurons work.” —Eric Topol, MD, author of Deep Medicine

“Clear, evidence based and engrossing. What we know about how the human brain works could fit on a figurative pinhead. But if you want to understand what we know about its evolution, this book is a terrific resource.” —Felice Jacka, PhD, director of the Food Mood Centre, Deakin University, Australia

“There are lots of ideas out there about consciousness and the human brain—the untidy product of millions of years of evolution. Bret Stetka comes as close as you could hope to making sense of them in this entertaining and wide-ranging book.” —Ian Tattersall, curator emeritus, Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History

“Crack open this book and take a read. You will be transported, illuminated, and delighted.” —Psychology Today

“Science journalist Bret Stetka takes the reader on a roller coaster ride up the evolutionary trail from the sponge to modern man.” —The San Francisco Book Review

“A readable and engaging history of how our most mysterious organ developed over time… from the brain’s improbable and watery beginnings to the super-complex marvel that’s found within the head of Homo sapiens today.” —The Genetic Literacy Project

From the Back Cover

The evolution of the human brain has been a patchwork of selection and culture over millions of years—a story of diet, tools, friends, fi re, and even creativity. Bret Stetka makes fascinating sense of it all in A History of the Human Brain, covering everything from early life forms and primitive animals to current existential crises of the brain’s own making. In simple terms and a lively, engaging narrative, Stetka illuminates how the brain got us here, where it has landed us today, and what it may have in store for us as a species.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Timber Press (March 16, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1604699884
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1604699883
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.38 x 0.94 x 9.38 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #288,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #230 in Neuroscience (Books)
- #253 in General Anthropology
- #792 in Evolution (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 156 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

156 global ratings

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4 star		21%
3 star		6%
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Top reviews from the United States

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Long Haul Trucker

Evolution plus Neurology

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 6, 2023

Verified Purchase

I've read multiple books on the topics of evolution and neurology but the combination of both within Evolution of the Human Brain brought new insights to each. Well written and engaging despite somewhat dense at times.

Some have complained that there is too much speculation and not enough *fact* in this book but that is the nature of both these topics. especially evolution. Until we can time travel and observe and dissect early human and life forms, we are unfortunately left with hypothesis and attempts to use evidence to either support and reject. Despite these challenges, many puzzle pieces are being identified and everyone once in a while a few of them fit together to give us a picture into what life might have been like long ago and how it shapes who and what we are today.

Helpful

Too dry for me. Also, more speculation than fact.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 8, 2022

Verified Purchase

The Amazon description says the book explains “exactly how our most mysterious organ developed”. And that exact explanation turned out to be “through evolution”. Not really a surprising conclusion.

The book starts off with what events may have originally acted upon early Earth’s primordial soup to kick off initial life on Earth, continues with the increasingly complex forms of the life, throws in a couple extinction events and finally we get to the dominance of mammals on land. I’ve already read other books covering similar subject matter.

There are lots of comparison between different types of primates, such as with chimpanzees vs bonobos, chimpanzees vs apes or apes vs humans. These comparisons sometimes focused on their physical differences and sometimes on their different social behaviors with others of their kind. Indeed, I thought there was quite a bit of discussion regarding sociology-like issues. This was because one of the book’s basic premises was that humans’ big (relatively speaking) brains were due to our use of language and our interacting with large social groups. Competing theories were that bigger brains came about to allow working with tools or to enable migrating in search of food when local food sources disappeared due to climate changes or catastrophic events.

Another discussion discussed comparative brain sizes between different types of animals of similar body size. Indeed, it seemed like any theory anyone had put forth within the last 100+ years was at least mentioned in this book. But the author’s quest for completeness (and giving credit to all who came before) made for a dry read.

Ultimately, the problem is that there is no actual history of the development of humans with their relatively large brains. There are artifacts that we’ve found. There are fossils of body fragments that have been uncovered (and sometimes those body fragments are extrapolated into a whole body structure). There is also the basic randomness of evolutionary changes that resulted in the animals that now populate the planet. After that, there is only a long series of speculations (or, some might say, best guess hypotheses) as to how we got from primordial soup to where we are now. We will never know “exactly how our most mysterious organ developed”.

Bottom Line: In previous years, I’ve read “The Body” (by Bill Bryson) and “A Short History of Nearly Everything” (also by Bill Bryson). Those books also provide scientific information intended for the general readership. Bill Bryson’s books may not to go to the same depth as this book did, but the information in Bill Bryson’s books was presented in a much more readable and interesting format.

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

Andrew Wilner, MD

A delightful romp through millions of years of evolution that somehow produced the human brain!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 30, 2021

Verified Purchase

A History of the Human Brain, by Bret Stetka, MD, is precisely what you might expect from an experienced science writer with a passion for understanding human evolution and the human brain. By way of disclosure, Bret has been my medical editor at Medscape.com for more than a decade. One of the reasons for this enduring relationship (the longest I’ve sustained with any editor) is Bret’s attention to detail, generous spirit, and out-of-the-box curiosity.

This well-researched book is casual, clear, fun, and informative. Drawing from his reading and interviews with evolutionary biologists, Bret effortlessly covers a few billion years of earth’s history in 250 pages. He considers the effects of fire, language, socialization, and tools on brain development. As a former food blogger, Bret observes that Homo sapiens’ appetite includes everything from oysters (see Prologue) to legumes. He postulates that multiple food choices may have allowed us to survive under harsh environmental conditions while competing hominid species died out. This ability to consume a diverse supply of nutrients may also have fueled our exceptional brain development.

This book includes sufficient science to satisfy the inquisitive layman without overwhelming the reader. Those who enjoy Scientific American or NPR programs, where Bret also contributes, will appreciate A History of the Human Brain. I certainly did!

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

This is how you a write a scientific history!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

"A History of the Human Brain" achieves the ambitious goal of its title in surprisingly concise and entertaining ways. In 250 crisp pages, it relates the millions of years of evolutionary kismet, happenstance, and mayhem that went into forging the 3 pounds of meat in our noggins, and all the good, the bad, and the ugly that came about because of it.

Stetka never once loses the thread of his amazing narrative, yet also still finds the space for adding beautiful details, like the eccentric evolutionary researchers working from bone-cluttered offices, surprising trans-species connections with our animal kin, and why we go a bit gaga for the color red.

Like that favorite teacher you had in school, Stetka's vast knowledge of the subject somehow still translates as unbridled enthusiasm, as if you're learning these things together. It's a quality that can't help but sweep along the reader, whether they're scientifically inclined or just enjoy a good story.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

Matt

A riveting synthesis of the human origin story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 2, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book succeeds as a synthesis of all the strands that make up our biological origin story. The way the material is organized underscores our own palimpsestic quality. We are our phylogeny, at least until language and culture allowed us to accelerate our ability to adapt, but even now, we are constrained by the brains we were bequeathed. It is necessary to know where we came from and how we got here if we are ever going to grapple with where we and the rest of the planet are going.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

RoVan

Enjoyable, but not strictly about evolution

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on March 5, 2022

Verified Purchase

The book is an enjoyable read, the writing style is very conversational, so it's entertaining and the writer has a sense of humour. The only thing that kept me from giving 5 stars is that it strikes me as a little rambling. Since very little ancient DNA is available, and brains don't fossilize, the physical evidence is scant. Instead researchers rely on inference and known past physical or cultural attributes to do a bit of speculation about how the brain evolved in response to environmental pressure. Since the author has to pull in details about about these other physical and cultural attributes, the writing style is a bit rambling. But that's a minor quibble, overall I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

Dominika

Good, but...

Reviewed in Poland 🇵🇱 on February 16, 2023

Verified Purchase

...to short :)

See all reviews

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