Human evolution has shaped us to be fascinated and adept with toolsJared Diamond
We may share 98.6% of our genes with our chimpanzee cousins, but we are significantly differentJared Diamond
New Guinea's inhabitants, who represent about one-sixth of the world's languages in one-tenth of one percent of its population, may be mentally the most diverse of any people in the worldJared Diamond
Genetic evidence speaks to our sharing a common ancestor with chimpanzees as recently as six million years agoJared Diamond
Among our mental characteristics, crows share with us the ability to use tools, recognize themselves in a mirror, and recognize picturesJared Diamond
Most of society's archaeological remains are pottery fragments, contributing to our underestimating the role of Stone Age hunter/gatherersJared Diamond
The risk of extinction looms larger when a species is stuck in a small geographical areaJared Diamond
The broadest pattern of history is the differential rates of societal development on different continentsJared Diamond
History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples' environments, not because of biological differences among peoples themselvesJared Diamond
The strengths and weaknesses of a society depend on its people's mentalities more than on its machinesJared Diamond