This story begins millions of years ago.
At that time, humans were very ordinary animals.
I didn't build a house or live in it, I didn't go to work or school, I didn't have a car, a computer, or a supermarket.
People lived in the mountains and fields.
I climbed trees and picked fruit, sniffed around for edible mushrooms, and caught and ate any earthworms, snails, and frogs I saw.

Other animals, such as giraffes, zebras, and baboons, were not afraid of humans, and didn't even care about them.
No one could have imagined that one day humans would go to the moon, build an atomic bomb, or write the book you're reading now.
At first, I didn't even know how to make tools.
There were no bows, arrows, spears, or swords, except for the occasional stone to break the fruit.
Humans were weak compared to other animals.
So, whenever a lion or a bear appeared, I had to run away.
That too, in a nutshell.
--- p.17

By using fire, humans were reborn as special beings.
Animals usually use their bodies when exerting force.
Use strong muscles, large teeth, and sharp claws.
But thanks to fire, humans have gained infinite power, independent of their physical condition.
With just a lit stick, a single, weak human being could burn down an entire forest in a matter of hours, destroying thousands of trees and killing thousands of animals.

Fire drove away the lions and brought warmth and light.
But most importantly, fire allowed ancient humans to cook.
Before using fire, humans had to spend a lot of time and effort eating raw food.
Because I had to cut it into small pieces and chew it for a long time.
But it still didn't digest well.
So humans needed big teeth and a big stomach, and they also had to develop patience.
But with the use of fire, eating became much easier.
Cooking makes food softer, reducing the time and energy it takes to eat and digest it.
As a result, people's bodies began to change.
My teeth and stomach got smaller, and most importantly, I got a lot more free time!
--- p.21~22

When scientists named their species, they naturally chose very noble Latin names.
That's right, it was Homo sapiens.
What does it mean? In Latin, 'sapiens' means 'wise'.
So, Homo sapiens means 'wise man'.

We decided to call ourselves 'the wise people'.
It's a name that's far from humble.
Because there is absolutely no reason to believe that we Sapiens are any more intelligent than the rest of humanity.
But what can we do if Sapiens becomes our name?

You are a sapiens, and your friends, family, and relatives are all sapiens.
Everyone in the world today is a sapiens.
Germans are sapiens, Nigerians are sapiens, Koreans are sapiens, Brazilians are sapiens.
About 100,000 years ago, our Sapiens ancestors lived mainly in Africa.
Sapiens ancestors already looked similar to modern humans at that time.
If you had a sleek haircut and worn jeans and a t-shirt instead of animal skins, you would have looked like a modern man.
But ancient Sapiens were still quite different from us.
--- p.36

What would the world be like today if our ancestors had been more kind and left the Neanderthals and the tiny humans of Flores alone? Isn't it exciting to imagine other species living alongside us?

Perhaps you had a brawny Neanderthal friend on your school track team? Perhaps a tiny human from Flores lived next door? What about politics and religion? Did Denisovans have the right to vote? Did priests bless marriages between Neanderthals and Sapiens? Could Neanderthals also become religious leaders, like priests, rabbis, or imams?
Would you have befriended a Neanderthal? If other humans had lived alongside us, our perception of ourselves might have changed.
We think we are very special beings.
When you say, 'Humans are animals too,' many people get serious and angry.
Because we think we are completely different from animals.
--- p.42

What happened about 50,000 years ago? What superpowers did Sapiens acquire that allowed them to dominate the Earth today? The answer is not obvious.
The reason Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, and all the superheroes in comics have such incredible powers is because they are strong, fast, and brave.
But Sapiens are not stronger, faster, or braver than Neanderthals.
The same is true compared to countless other animals.
There was little chance that Sapiens could win a fight against wolves, crocodiles, or chimpanzees.
Even an old chimpanzee could beat a world boxing champion.

The only reason Sapiens can chase away wolves and keep chimpanzees in zoos is because so many people cooperate with each other.
One human cannot beat one chimpanzee, but when a thousand humans come together, they can accomplish amazing things that chimpanzees can't even dream of.
And the reason we can cooperate better than any other animal is because of that secret superpower.
We can collaborate with people we don't even know.

--- p.47