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"""Fascinating and deeply researched. Higham conveys the thrill of archaeological discovery eruditely and accessibly.""--Alexander Larman, The Observer ""A fascinating insight into groups belonging to the same Homo genus as us that lived alongside us for much of their existence. . . . Higham devotes whole chapters, sometimes multiple chapters, to each extinct hominin group. He packs in startling discoveries, impressive insights and the occasional debunking of a foolish idea.""--Michael Marshall, New Scientist ""A clear and lucid account of how to study archaic DNA. [Higham] tells an engaging story.""--Felipe Fernández-Armesto, Literary Review ""A brilliant exposition of the way in which archaeology and science are completely changing our understanding of early humans. This is essential reading for all interested in our early ancestors and the sheer excitement of their discovery.""--Barry Cunliffe, author of The Scythians and Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC-AD 1000 ""The World Before Us ventures far beyond fossils and archaeology into the realm of today's multidisciplinary science. This is a magnificent tour de force making cutting-edge science easily understandable and profoundly entertaining at the same time.""--Brian Fagan, author of A Little History of Archaeology and World Prehistory ""From lab bench to trench, The World Before Us offers a personal tour of the newest science in palaeoanthropology. Higham's work on some of the most important and remarkable fossils ever found imbues his account with fascinating detail.""--Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art ""A brilliant distillation of the ideas and discoveries revolutionizing our understanding of human evolution. Tom Higham introduces us to a complex world of many human species, whose genes and deeds live on in us today.""--Chris Gosden, author of Prehistory: A Very Short Introduction ""A bang-up-to-date insider's review of a critical period in the emergence of modern humans. It also provides fascinating, intelligible and authoritative glimpses into a wide variety of new technologies.""--Ian Tattersall, coauthor of The Accidental Homo sapiens: Genetics, Behavior, and Free Will"

Fascinating and deeply researched. Higham conveys the thrill of archaeological discovery eruditely and accessibly--Alexander Larman, Guardian A gripping account of Earth's other humans--New Scientist The remarkable new science of palaeoanthropology, from lab bench to trench--Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred The application of new genetic science to pre-history is analogous to how the telescope transformed astronomy. Tom Higham, one of the world's leading scientists in the field, brings us to the frontier of recent discoveries with a book that is both gripping and fun. And the results are astonishing. It matters: understanding our evolutionary origins reveals our innate strengths as a species--Paul Collier, author of The Bottom Billion A brilliant exposition of the way in which archaeology and science are completely changing our understanding of early humans. This is a fast-moving story written with verve and enthusiasm by one of the scientists deeply involved in tracking down the evidence. Essential reading for all interested in our early ancestors and the sheer excitement of their discovery--Barry Cunliffe, author of The Scythians A brilliant distillation of the ideas and discoveries revolutionising our understanding of human evolution. Tom Higham, one of the leaders of the revolution and the cutting-edge science on which it is based, introduces us to a complex world of many human species, whose genes and deeds live on in us today--Chris Gosden, author of The History of Magic Tom Higham has been at the pulsating centre of the close collaboration between archaeologists and geneticists that in the last few years discovered our previously unknown cousins - the Denisovans - and revealed the lost world in which they, Neanderthals and modern humans interacted and interbed. His thrilling book gives us a court-side view of this scientific revolution--David Reich, author of Who We Are and How We Got Here A bang-up-to-date insider's review of a critical period in the emergence of modern humans. It also provides fascinating, intelligible and authoritative glimpses into a wide variety of new technologies--Ian Tattersall, co-author of The Accidental Homo sapiens: Genetics, Behavior, and Free Will

Fascinating and deeply researched. Higham conveys the thrill of archaeological discovery eruditely and accessibly. --Alexander Larman, The Guardian [A] fascinating and deeply researched book. . . . Higham conveys the thrill of archaeological discovery eruditely and accessibly. --Alexander Larman, The Observer A fascinating insight into groups belonging to the same Homo genus as us that lived alongside us for much of their existence. . . . Higham devotes whole chapters, sometimes multiple chapters, to each extinct hominin group. He packs in startling discoveries, impressive insights and the occasional debunking of a foolish idea. --Michael Marshall, New Scientist A clear and lucid account of how to study archaic DNA. [Higham] tells an engaging story --Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Literary Review A brilliant exposition of the way in which archaeology and science are completely changing our understanding of early humans. This is essential reading for all interested in our early ancestors and the sheer excitement of their discovery. --Barry Cunliffe, author of The Scythians and Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC - AD 1000 The World Before Us ventures far beyond fossils and archaeology into the realm of today's multidisciplinary science. This is a magnificent tour de force making cutting-edge science easily understandable and profoundly entertaining at the same time. --Brian Fagan, author of A Little History of Archaeology and World Prehistory From lab bench to trench, The World Before Us offers a personal tour of the newest science in palaeoanthropology. Higham's work on some of the most important and remarkable fossils ever found imbues his account with fascinating detail. --Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art A brilliant distillation of the ideas and discoveries revolutionizing our understanding of human evolution. Tom Higham introduces us to a complex world of many human species, whose genes and deeds live on in us today. --Chris Gosden, author of Prehistory: A Very Short Introduction A bang-up-to-date insider's review of a critical period in the emergence of modern humans. It also provides fascinating, intelligible and authoritative glimpses into a wide variety of new technologies. --Ian Tattersall, co-author of The Accidental Homo sapiens: Genetics, Behavior, and Free Will

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Tom Higham is professor of archaeological science at the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art at the University of Oxford and director of the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit.

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