What can the latest discoveries in archaeology, ancient DNA, and linguistics teach us about who we are—and how we got here? In this course, we’ll journey deep into human history to uncover the remarkable story of our species, from the first sparks of imagination to the rise of complex societies. We begin 70,000 years ago with the “cognitive revolution,” when humans learned to communicate abstract ideas, plan for the future, and create art and ritual. These breakthroughs fueled cooperation, invention, and our global expansion.
From there, we’ll explore the independent domestication of plants and animals across continents—transformations that gave rise to agriculture, population growth, and the first social hierarchies. Were these shifts progress, or a tradeoff for equality once shared?
Along the way, we’ll meet Ötzi the Iceman, trace the migrations of the Indo-European peoples, and follow the first voyagers who settled the Pacific Islands. Drawing on today’s most exciting interdisciplinary research, this non-technical course invites learners of all backgrounds to explore how new science continues to reshape the story of us.
