The science of human origins /

In this short work on human origins, Italy-based researchers/academics Tuniz (UNESCO International Centre for Theoretical Physics), Manzi (Sapienza Univ. of Rome), and Caramelli (Univ. of Florence) explore various facets of paleoanthropology. The authors briefly highlight information on several ancestral hominins, as well as various members of the genus Homo. This is considered in the context of an African origin of the human lineage and the subsequent dispersal of our ancestors worldwide. Considerable discussion focuses on the many technological innovations currently available for studying human origins, including dating methodologies and analysis of archaic DNA. The book also addresses the advantages and limitations of each technique. The authors present a great deal of interesting material; however, readers may find the organization of topics to be confusing. The content seems to be somewhat randomly arranged, with information on closely related topics scattered throughout the text. In addition, the level of detail presented varies greatly, ranging from quite simplistic to more advanced in nature. The degree of accompanying explanatory information varies accordingly. Advanced undergraduates may find the book a useful complement to classroom studies and valuable for individual research projects. --Danny A. Brass, independent scholar