Humanity's Descent: The Consequences of Ecological Instability

In this groundbreaking book, Rick Potts uncovers the ecology of our earliest forebears, explores their survival and extinction, and tells the drama of human evolution as it has never been told before.
Potts, internationally known for his innovative excavations of early archeological sites, brilliantly connects our planet's past with the environmental dilemmas we now face, showing how ancient humans responded to the forces of nature and survived long periods of dramatic habitat disturbance.
In the end, Humanity's Descent offers a provocative statement about the present status of our species and its institutions. Potts convincingly explains why prevailing ideals of economic growth and environmental preservation are based on mistaken, short-term views of the natural world. Our future lies, as it always has, in our ability to tolerate environmental insult and to revise our relationship with nature.

Rick Potts is Director of Human Origins at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.