A Brief History of Humankind — 01 the cognitive revolution

1. The Cognitive Revolution

1.1 An Animal of No Significance

• Word List:

Word	Interpretation
Domain	n.域
Kingdom	n.界
Phylum	n.门
Class	n.纲
Order	n.目
Family	n.科
genus	n.“属” 名
species	n.“种” 名
Panthera	n.豹 “属”
leo	n.狮 “种”
gorillas	n.大猩猩
fireflies	n.萤火虫
jellyfish	n.水母

1. The most important thing to know about prehistory humans is that they were insignificant animals with no more impact on their environment than gorillas , fireflies, or jellyfish.
2. Biologists label organisms with a two-part Latin name, genus followed by species.

Lions, for example, are called Panthera leo, the species leo of the genus Panthera. Presumably, everyone reading this book is a Homo sapiens–— the species sapiens (wise) of the genus Homo(man).

3. Just 6 million years ago, a single female ape had two daughters. One became the ancestor of all chimpanzees, the other is our own grandmother.

1.2 Skeletons in the Closet

• Word List:

Word	Interpretation
archaic	a.古代的
relatives	n.亲戚
cradle	n.摇篮，发源地
continent	n.大陆

1. Not only do we possess an abundance of uncivilized cousins; one upon a time we had quite a few brothers and sisters as well.
2. “Sapiens” denotes members of the species Homo sapiens, “human” refers to all extant menmbers of the genus Homo.
3. 2.5 million years ago: Southern Ape(an earlier genus of apes) --— Human first evolved in East Africa.
4. 2 million years ago: migrate through and settle vast areas of North Africa, Europe, and Asia.
5. Human species:

6. This linear model gives the mistaken impression that at any particular moment only one type of human inhabited the earth, and that all earlier species were merely older models of ourselves.
7. The truth is that from 2 million years ago until around 10000 years ago, the world was home, at one and same time, to several human species.

1.3 The Cost of Thinking

• Word List:

Word	Interpretation
enamored	a.迷恋的
jumbo	a.巨大的
savannah	n.大草原
criteria	n.标准
colt	n.小马
forage	v.觅食
devour	v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地阅读
giraffe	n.长颈鹿
hyena	n.鬣狗
jackal	n.豺
scavenge	v.捡拾
spectaular	a./n.壮观的（场面）
pyramid	n.金字塔
in tow	紧跟在后

1. Common characteristics: large brain
2. In Homo sapiens, the brain accounts for about 2~3 percent of total body weight, but it consumes 25 percent of the body’s energy when the body is at rest.
3. Like a government diverting money from defense to eduction, humans diverted energy from biceps to neurons.
4. Standing up → easier to scan → arms are freed → perform very intricate tasks with hands.
5. Compared to other animals, humans are born prematurely, when many of their vital systems are still underdeveloped.

A colt can trot shortly after birth; a kitten leaves its mother to forage on its own when it is just a few weeks old.
Human babies are helpless, dependent for many years on their elders for sustenance, protection, and eduction. → social abilities and social problems

• Reference：https://www.ithome.com/html/it/364837.htm

6. Humans remained weak and marginal creatures during a full two million years.
7. Genus Homo’s position in the food chain was, until quite recently, solidly in the middle.
8. 400,000 years ago : several species of man began to hunt large game; only in the last 100,000 years --— with the rise of Homo sapiens --— that man jumped to the top of the food chain.
9. Humankind ascended to the top so quickly that the ecosystem was not given time to adjust.
10. Sapiens by contrast is more like a banana republic dictator.

1.4 A Race of Cooks

• Word List:

Word	Interpretation
domestication	n.驯化
digest	v.消化

1. A significant step on the way to the top was the domestication of fire.(800,000 years ago)

2. Homo erectus, Neanderthals and the forefathers of Homo sapiens were using fire on a daily basis,(300,000 years ago)

3. Cook’s favorite:

   ① kill germs and parasites

   ② easy to chew and digest

1.5 Our Brothers’ Keepers

• Word List:

Word	Interpretation
overran	v.扩展并占领
landmass	n.大陆
Archeologist	n.考古学家
mingling	a.混合的
revulsion	n.剧变，厌恶
genocide	n.种族灭杀
hitch	v./ n. 搭便车
hitch a ride	搭便车
the Qur’ran	n.《古兰经》

1. 150,000 years ago, Humans were still marginal creatures.

2. 70,000 years ago, Sapiens from East Africa（which was popolated by Sapiens that looked just like us） spred into the Arabian Peninsula, and from there they quickly overran the entire Eurasian landmass.

   

3. Two conflicting theories: