Mankind: The Story of All Of Us

Mankind traces human history from the formation of Earth through the present day. The book covers the billions of years required for life to emerge and evolve until humans developed as a species, then follows key events from early human life in Africa's Rift Valley to modern achievements like the completion of the Genome project and the birth of the seven billionth human. The narrative highlights major historical milestones across epochs, including the invention of iron, the beginning of Buddhism, the crucifixion of Jesus, the fall of Rome, the invention of the printing press, the Industrial Revolution, and the invention of the computer. Each event is presented for its direct relevance to contemporary life. The book includes over 300 color photographs and maps, along with illustrated sidebars that explain distinctions between science and history. These sidebars cover topics such as the relative abundance of iron versus bronze in the earth, sensory properties of pepper, and the role of Earth's axial wobble in the fall of the Egyptian Empire.