The Third Chimpanzee cover art

The Third Chimpanzee

The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal

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The Third Chimpanzee

By: Jared Diamond
Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
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About this listen

The Development of an Extraordinary Species
We human beings share 98 percent of our genes with chimpanzees. Yet humans are the dominant species on the planet -- having founded civilizations and religions, developed intricate and diverse forms of communication, learned science, built cities, and created breathtaking works of art -- while chimps remain animals concerned primarily with the basic necessities of survival. What is it about that two percent difference in DNA that has created such a divergence between evolutionary cousins? In this fascinating, provocative, passionate, funny, endlessly entertaining work, renowned Pulitzer Prize–winning author and scientist Jared Diamond explores how the extraordinary human animal, in a remarkably short time, developed the capacity to rule the world . . . and the means to irrevocably destroy it.
Biological Sciences Evolution Evolution & Genetics Genetics Science Social Sciences Funny

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All stars
Most relevant
This book is for people who enjoy the scientific method, executed with much rigor, demonstration looking at evidences and possible causes and - based on reason- come down to plausible explanations. Sometimes you will hear things that you don’t want to hear, especially if you are from a part of the world where a group of people has exterminated, enslaved or waged war or genocide against another… but it doesn’t mean this book is not worth listening

Absolutely brilliant!!

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There's some parts of this book that have confirmed things that are described as theories, and disproved other comments the author thinks are unlikely (e.g. humans and neanderthals DID interbreed- whereas the author suggests this is unlikely).
That said, science progresses quickly so the dated information is to be expected, and isn't anything too drastic. Occasional word choices catch on the modern ear - for example Native Americans are described as Indians... I thought at first he was talking about people from India 😄

Some outdated science but a mostly valuable listen

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Loved this book really fascinating and intriguing facts - couldn’t put it down

Narration was perfection

Well done

5 Stars

Great book

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Diamond is a titan. This is the kind of work that should be in everyone’s library. Wonderful narration too- well prepped and calmly authoritative.

An important work

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this book was incredible: Moving and thought provoking, dealing with the harsh truth our impact and has had on this planet throughout our entire existence and also where it may take us.

Everyone MUST listen to this book!

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