Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past

American geneticist David Reich is one of the leading revolutionaries in the study of ancient DNA—something that turned out to be no less important for understanding human history than archaeology, linguistics, and written sources.

In his book, Reich vividly shows how much hidden information about our distant past is contained in the human genome—and how radically the genomics revolution is changing our established ideas about modern people. The migrations of our ancestors, their relationships with competing species, and the spread of cultures all come into a completely different light when you take DNA data from fossil remains into account.

Analysis of scientific discoveries and research leads to a provocative thought: apparently, the differences between today’s populations are a biological reality, but they have nothing to do with the usual stereotypes. The question of who we are and where we come from has to be asked anew. The answer is still being shaped, but the templates are already cracking.