Human Evolution: Learn Where You Come From

What makes our species special? Why are we the way we are? This ten-part audio course will tell the human story in all its wonder, from our humble origins as shrewlike organisms to the most powerful animals in history. Along the way, you'll learn about the evolved roots of our essential traits, such as our peculiar lack of body hair, our opposable thumbs, bipedalism, and, of course, our big brains. You'll also discover more about our relatives, from neanderthals to chimpanzees.

My name is Macken Murphy, and I'd like to teach you about human evolution. I have degrees in anthropology from Oxford and Boston University, where I focused on the evolutionary sciences. I'm an active researcher, but I'm equally passionate about communicating research (I've been a podcaster since 2018). This course is the end result of months of careful, diligent scripting to tell the human story accurately and concisely.

Originally released in 2021 on Listenable, it quickly began a long run as the #1 science course on the platform. I'm rereleasing it on here, as the content is evergreen, and it's still my favorite project I've done to this day. If you can't afford $12+, no stress, I've set it so you can pay whatever you can; I want you to hear it. I'd like to continue doing science communication, and your support is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!