By the end of The Origin of Species Darwin wonders at the fact that any scientific theory of evolution is more amazing and exciting than the best of metaphors or myths related to the origin of the world. Ancient Greeks named our planet Gaia, and in the Basque country it is still referred to as Amalur, Mother Earth.

In this work, Ignacio Martínez and Juan Luis Arsuaga once again manage to successfully combine their narrative and scientific skills to guide us through the intricate maze of one of the greatest mysteries of mankind – that of the origin of life on earth and the evolutionary steps that lead to Homo Sapiens and human intelligence. On the way, many questions arise: Is there life beyond our planet? Is aggressiveness innate to human beings? Is there any purpose to evolution?