CLOTHING dry fragments of fossil bone with the flesh of imagination
was Maurice Wilson鈥檚 gift. In Human Evolution (Natural History Museum, pp
48, Pounds sterling 7.50) his paintings of early humans and their ancestors
remind me of Chinese wildlife paintings: delicate washes of colour over
line drawings conjure up the lost forests of North Africa more than 30 million
years ago while his knowledge of anatomy enriches the drawings of early
primates, such as Aegypto pithecus (above) to Cro-Magnon Man. Peter Andrews,
head of the anthropology section at the Natural History Museum, London,
and Chris Stringer, curator of the museum鈥檚 fossil collection, have written
a clear guide that traces the development of our evolutionary line, and
shows how its diversity is shrinking.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles