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The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being
- Evolution and the Making of Us
- Narrated by: Dr Alice Roberts
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
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The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being
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Summary
The presenter of the BBC's The Incredible Human Journey gives us a new and highly accessible look at our own bodies and into the past to uncover the evolutionary secrets hidden in all of us.
Shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize.
Alice Roberts takes you on the most incredible journey, revealing your path from a single cell to a complex embryo to a living, breathing, thinking person. It's a story that connects us with our distant ancestors and an extraordinary, unlikely chain of events that shaped human development and left a mark on all of us.
Alice Roberts uses the latest research to uncover the evolutionary history hidden in all of us, from the secrets found only in our embryos and genes - including why as embryos we have what look like gills - to those visible in your anatomy. This is a tale of discovery, exploring why and how we have developed as we have. This is your story, told as never before.
Critic reviews
"From your brain to your fingertips, you emerge from her book entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself." (Richard Dawkins)
"A masterful account of why our bodies are the way they are...this book really shines.... Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory." (Observer)
"Witty, personal and above all informed by passion and deep knowledge, this is the story of you, not just from conception onwards but from the millions of years of evolution that have shaped the way we are today." (Adam Rutherford)
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What listeners say about The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being
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- Dr B.
- 05-01-24
Wow!
Since I was a Medical Student, 1980-85, a lot has happened. I learnt loads from this audiobook. Even on the 4-5th listen through. Awesome.
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1 person found this helpful
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- colin sheady
- 17-04-24
Clarity and simplification
Loved the clarity of Alice’s voice and the method and examples of simplifying a complicated subject for the layman.
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- toby oxford
- 29-03-23
Fascinating story of Us
This was another fantastic book from Alice, and great that she was the narrator too as I find it adds something extra to the reading. The story of our development as humans and the evolution that got us to where we are today never ceases to amaze. Alice has a way of making this complicated process very enjoyable to listen to and describes processes and developments in scientific understanding easy to relate to and remember. I enjoyed this book a great deal and look forward to the next one.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 15-02-24
Evolution at its best
Perfect Narration, by Alice. Clear and informative.......How will Creationism Square with Evolution?..... well God must of given that asteroid a nudge that wiped out the Dinosaurs...?
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- Anonymous User
- 29-04-23
good listen
very good and well read , I learnt a lot about being me and how we all got here.
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- Mrs. Jasmine Simeone
- 18-03-23
Astonishing, clear account
I am completely in awe of Alice Roberts for producing such a clear and concise account of hitherto unknown accounts of what we are and how we came to be. I am pleased that she does not put definitive spin on the development of man in the context of other beings but instead makes it clear that what we know can change at any time. Fascinating and well worth reading!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Barrie Noble
- 22-04-24
Review of The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being
A fascinating book on human evolution, wide-ranging, very clear both in content and Alice Roberts reading style. Well structured and understandable for non scientists. There is much complex information but this is neatly clarified by the author. imo possibly one of the best books ever. Thank you Alice Roberts.
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-03-24
Informative and engaging
Loved hearing about our development as humans alongside the process of evolution. Alice has a great speaking voice and her passion for her subject shines through. I liked that she used proper medical and anatomical terminology - not assuming that the general public wouldn’t be interested in the Latin names. My 12 yo really enjoyed listening too and now tells me all sorts of facts he learned about human development. I will read anything Alice writes as her style is approachable and chatty but she conveys lots of information, almost without you realising! More please!
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-04-24
Good easy read
Interesting book and Alice Robert’s reads in a very engaging manner. Very enjoyable even if you don’t have a science background.
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- veyza
- 26-03-23
Ambitious and exhaustive
This book summarizes a huge amount of material as it takes us on an often fascinating journey through the human body and its development both anatomically and evolutionarily. It is a little dry in places near the start but it definitely rewards perseverance.
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4 people found this helpful