Explorers Gene Review: The Ancient Origins of our Drive for Adventure and Challenges

Explorer genes
Alex Hutchinson (Mariner Book (UK, April 10, US, now available))

About 50,000 years ago, our ancestors – the first modern humans – set out from a large number of African homelands. I don’t know why this massive uprooting (also known as the “great human expansion”) has encouraged us, but the incredible geographical spread of our species is evidence of its success.

In a relatively short order, humans have more or less made it in “every habitable horn of the planet,” says journalist Alex Hutchinson…