
Drawing on a major discovery with tremendous implications, an Australian researcher uncovers the source of human creativity and learning in the functioning of a supergene she calls the knowledge gene. Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey that transformed our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. A few thousand years ago, humans started outsourcing knowledge to writing, displacing art and music from the heart of learning. This is the extraordinary story of a gene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify this gene as the supergene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition. The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and discusses the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.
Drawing on a major discovery with tremendous implications, an Australian researcher uncovers the source of human creativity and learning in the functioning of a supergene she calls the knowledge gene. Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey that transformed our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. A few thousand years ago, humans started outsourcing knowledge to writing, displacing art and music from the heart of learning. This is the extraordinary story of a gene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify this gene as the supergene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition. The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and discusses the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.
The Knowledge Gene by Lynne Kelly
Drawing on a major discovery with tremendous implications, an Australian researcher uncovers the source of human creativity and learning in the functioning of a supergene she calls the knowledge gene. Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey that transformed our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. A few thousand years ago, humans started outsourcing knowledge to writing, displacing art and music from the heart of learning. This is the extraordinary story of a gene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify this gene as the supergene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition. The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and discusses the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.
Drawing on a major discovery with tremendous implications, an Australian researcher uncovers the source of human creativity and learning in the functioning of a supergene she calls the knowledge gene. Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey that transformed our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. A few thousand years ago, humans started outsourcing knowledge to writing, displacing art and music from the heart of learning. This is the extraordinary story of a gene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify this gene as the supergene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition. The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and discusses the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.
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Prices last updated 12 May 2026.
Last updated at 12/05/2026 19:01:35
The Knowledge Gene: The incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity
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The Knowledge Gene: The Incredible Story of the Supergene That Gives Us Human Creativity by Dr Lynne Kelly | Paperback | 2024
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The Knowledge Gene: The incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
The Knowledge Gene: The Incredible Story of the Supergene That Gives Us Human Creativity by Dr Lynne Kelly | Paperback | 2024
Delivery $8.95
The Knowledge Gene by Dr Lynne Kelly, The Nile AU
Delivery between 18–22 May $7.99
The Knowledge Gene, Science Book By Lynne Kelly, The incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity, English Paperback
Delivery between Thu – Fri $9.99
The Knowledge Gene: The incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity Kelly, Dr Lynne [New] [Softcover]
Delivery $3.27
| General | |
| Format | Paperback |