The Artificial Ape: How Technology Changed the Course of Human Evolution

This book is witty, entertaining and fun. Such a shame it misfires. Archaeologist Taylor looks at human anatomy, behaviour and history and argues that rather than humans shaping technology, its vice versa – so we can no longer live without it. So far, so plausible. Why, then, does Taylor say technology has lifted humanity out of natural selection? That’s like saying hand-axes somehow absolve us of gravity. People from Tasmania might have lost technology simply because they didn’t need it, he says. One might equally say losing technology was selected by nature. Dr Henry Gee is a senior editor of the journal Nature

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