cover image The Riddled Chain: Chance, Coincidence and Chaos in Human Evolution

The Riddled Chain: Chance, Coincidence and Chaos in Human Evolution

Jeffrey Kevin McKee. Rutgers University Press, $27 (294pp) ISBN 978-0-8135-2783-3

Unlike most entries in the spate of recent books discussing human evolution, this book focuses on the processes that gave rise to humans rather than detailing the steps in our lineage. McKee, professor of anthropology at Ohio State, argues that evolution is much less directed than many people might believe. The dominant forces, he asserts, are chance, coincidence and chaos, coming together through the process of autocatalysis. McKee draws intelligently on his work on computer modeling to bolster his position. He shows, for example, that randomly removing just a single female from a simulated human population of 10,000 breeding individuals can have dramatic effects on the evolution of that population. In one such computer run, with a seemingly nondescript female removed, the population went extinct only 321 generations into the simulation. McKee also looks at the prospects for the future of human evolution, asserting that ""the lessons of human evolution are important, have a broad value, and may even help us set the course for our future survival."" We are continuing to evolve, he contends, in significant ways, from changes in eyesight to alterations in our immune system. Additionally, our actions are influencing the world around us to such an extent that our own continued existence is at risk. Although there's not much that's truly new here, McKee does an admirable job of presenting his ideas. (July)