VOLUME TWO
J O NAT H A N C A P E LONDON
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Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Vintage, is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
Copyright © 2021 by Yuval Noah Harari Yuval Noah Harari has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 First edition published 2021 This book tackles difficult subjects, including historic and contemporary public discourse about race, religion, and social hierarchy, with the intent of encouraging open conversation based on science and critical thinking. Much research and thought have been put into presenting this subject matter, with the awareness that certain aspects of the presentation may prove challenging or unsettling for some audiences. Nevertheless, it is important to the authors to address pressing social and global issues such as those discussed within. Adapted under the coordination of Sapienship and Albin Michel Publishing (France) from Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. First published in Hebrew in 2011 by Kinneret, Zmora-Bitan, Dvir. First English language edition published in Great Britain in 2014 by Harvill Secker. Published by Vintage in 2015. Quote from “Uncle Sam Says,” Southern Exposure album, by Josh White, Folk-Blues Music Co./ASCAP, 1941. Creation and co-writing: Yuval Noah Harari Adaptation and co-writing: David Vandermeulen Adaptation and illustration: Daniel Casanave Colors: Claire Champion Albin Michel: Editor: Martin Zeller Editing and coordination: Lauren Triou Sapienship Storytelling: Production and management: Itzik Yahav Management and editing: Naama Avital Marketing and PR: Naama Wartenburg Editing and coordination: Nina Zivy Translation and editing: Adriana Hunter Diversity consulting: Slava Greenberg www.sapienship.co penguin.co.uk/vintage A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 9781787333765 ebook ISBN: 9781473598140 Printed and bound by XXXXXXX Penguin Random House is committed to a sustainable future for our business, our readers and our planet. This book is made from Forest Stewardship Council® certified paper.
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To the ancestors who laid the pillars, and the better ancestors we must become. —Yuval Noah Harari
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Timeline of History Number of years ago 13.8 billion
Matter and energy appear. Beginning of physics. Formation of atoms and molecules. Beginning of chemistry.
4.5 billion
Formation of planet Earth.
3.8 billion
Emergence of organisms. Beginning of biology.
6 million
Last common grandmother of humans and chimpanzees.
2.5 million
Humans evolve in Africa. Use of stone tools.
2 million
Humans spread from Africa to Eurasia. Evolution of different human species.
400,000
Neanderthals evolve in Europe and the Middle East. Regular use of fire.
300,000
Homo sapiens evolves in Africa.
70,000
The Cognitive Revolution. Emergence of storytelling. Beginning of history. Sapiens spread out of Africa.
50,000
Sapiens settle across Australia. Extinction of Australian megafauna.
30,000
Extinction of Neanderthals. Homo sapiens the only surviving human species.
15,000
Sapiens spread across the Americas. Extinction of American megafauna.
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12,000
The Agricultural Revolution. Domestication of plants and animals. Permanent settlements.
5,000
First kingdoms, script and money. Polytheistic religions.
4,250
First empire—the Akkadian Empire of Sargon.
2,500
Invention of coins—a universal money. The Persian Empire—a universal political order. Buddhism in India—a universal teaching.
2,000
Han Empire in China. Roman Empire in the Mediterranean. Christianity.
1,400
Islam.
500
The Scientific Revolution. Humankind admits its ignorance and begins to acquire unprecedented power. Europeans begin to conquer America and the oceans. The entire planet becomes a single historical arena. The rise of capitalism.
200
The Industrial Revolution. Family and community are replaced by state and market. Massive extinction of plants and animals.
The Present
Humans transcend the boundaries of planet Earth. Nuclear weapons threaten the survival of humankind. Organisms are increasingly shaped by intelligent design rather than natural selection.
The Future
Intelligent design becomes the basic principle of life? First nonorganic life-forms? Humans become gods?
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Little Crop of Horrors
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I can guess where you’re taking me, Uncle Yuval. I bet we’re going to the theater!
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Ha ha...
Ok, so you guessed the surprise.... It was Professor Saraswati’s idea.
Was it, Professor?
Hehe. Yes.
I heard this show was on when I happened to be in Tel Aviv, so I suggested the three of us come to see it.
It’s exactly what we need to satisfy our curiosity—it’s all about what happened next in the story of Sapiens.
I can’t wait!
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After they’d spread all over the world, humans walked right into a real tragedy. They tried to gain ever more power....
And that didn’t work out?
Let’s just say they were hoping for something better.... And their idea of better very soon turned out to be worse....
As if they’d made a pact with the devil.
It’s starting!
More, more, more... they always wanted moooooore....
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