THE MAKING, THE RISE, AND FUTURE OF THE SPEAKINGMAN

This collection of Mrejeru’s articles explores the most significant moments in human evolution.

In these pages, the author covers many topics in hominin evolution, from the first appearance of hominins 5.4 million years ago to the first differentiation of the hominin brain from the monkey brain, approximately 500,000 years ago, to the first steps on the path to Homo sapiens, which Mrejeru locates at 70,000 years ago. The papers reprinted here touch on a wide array of compelling subjects, from the discussion of a 2019 study suggesting that humans may be able to unconsciously detect changes in Earth’s electromagnetic field to the possibility that noncognitive skills are deeply embedded in the neurological makeup of modern humans. The articles include copious quotes from the works of others in the field and many detailed citations, and he occasionally broadens his scope to contemplate the larger implications of his subjects (such as the perilous current state of the world, in which 96 percent of all the mammals on Earth are livestock and half of the planet’s wild animals have likely gone extinct in the last 50 years). Readers will notice immediately that Mrejeru is writing for his fellow specialists, with no effort being made to explain to non-experts the often rarefied concepts being discussed. “Both major anatomical cerebral changes were produced by the intermediation of geomagnetic events, which increased the atmospheric concentration of C14 isotopes, stimulating Reactive Oxidative Species (ROS) and associated pulses of neurogenesis,” reads a typical passage; “Hence, neurogenesis was solely responsible for producing encephalization, new cerebellar and frontoparietal structures and significant circuitry reorganizations in the brain.” Lay readers will likely get little out of such proclamations.

A formidably detailed (if inaccessible to the average reader) survey of the author’s work on human paleobiology.