Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – The #1 New York Times Bestseller Exploring How We Became Ruler of the Planet

One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Today only one remains—homo sapiens. This book explores what happened to the others and what may happen to us. Yuval Noah Harari integrates history and science to examine humanity's development, beginning approximately 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. The narrative traces the role of evolving humans in the global ecosystem, the rise of empires, and connects past developments with contemporary concerns. Harari also addresses a recent shift: over the last few decades, humans have begun to bend the laws of natural selection that have governed life for four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. The book examines where this trajectory is leading and what we may become. The work includes 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations and diagrams.