Today I read the second chapter of “The Ascent of Man,” by J. Bronowski. The Harvest Of the Seasons really reminded me about how short the life of modern humans has been compared to the billions of years that Earth has been around. Humans started making all their technological and cultural advancements within the last twelve thousand years or so, beginning with the development of agriculture. Given that a typical human lives for only eighty years or so, I felt like a drop in the ocean. It was fascinating to learn about all the genetic mutations that occurred to create wheat, while the threats, as well as the ways it made life easier, that domestication of animals created was very interesting. Without it, our progress would have been greatly delayed, but it also resulted in war. I really enjoyed learning about all the developments that agriculture has brought about. I would rate this chapter 9.7/10 and recommend that anyone interested in learning about the impacts of agriculture, evolution, or the history of the world read this book.
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