ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a review of the conditions that made primate life possible. Then, the events that led to the emergence of the first apes are considered, and particular attention is paid to the rise of the Australopithecus, which may have been ancestral to modern humans. Next, the circumstances that may have led to the evolution of humans are explored. The distinguishing feature of modern humans is our cognitive ability, and the question of why no other group of organisms evolved similar capabilities is analyzed. During this investigation, the role of climate change in shaping our species and its unusual abilities is considered. The chapter concludes by contrasting the success of Homo sapiens with that of long-lived species. In addition, our knowledge of primate evolution is used as a tool to examine the likelihood that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the galaxy.
