Leading scholars take stock of Darwin's ideas about human evolution in the light of modern science

In 1871, Charles Darwin published The Descent of Man, a companion to Origin of Species in which he attempted to explain human evolution, a topic he called "the highest and most interesting problem for the naturalist." A Most Interesting Problem brings together twelve world-class scholars and science communicators to investigate what Darwin got right--and what he got wrong--about the origin, history, and biological variation of humans. The book draws on the latest discoveries in fields such as genetics, paleontology, bioarchaeology, anthropology, and primatology. This compelling and accessible book tackles the very subjects Darwin explores in Descent, including the evidence for human evolution, our place in the family tree, the origins of civilization, human races, and sex differences.

"An excellent distillation of the 150-year history of the science and politics of this field."---Rob Barton, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute