This generously illustrated book tells the story of the human family, showing how our species’ physical traits and behaviors evolved over millions of years as our ancestors adapted to dramatic environmental changes.

In What Does It Means to Be Human? Rick Potts, director of the Smithsonian’s Human Origins Program, and Chris Sloan, National Geographic’s paleoanthropology expert, delve into our distant past to explain when, why, and how we acquired the unique biological and cultural qualities that govern our most fundamental connections and interactions with other people and with the natural world. Drawing on the latest research, they conclude that we are the last survivors of a once-diverse family tree, and that our evolution was shaped by one of the most unstable eras in Earth’s environmental history.  Paperback, 176 pages.

The National Museum of Natural History is the world’s preeminent museum and research complex. It is dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery and learning about the natural world through its unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions and educational outreach programs.

[This book is currently out-of-print]