One hundred thousand years ago, Homo sapiens was one of at least six human species that inhabited this planet—an unremarkable animal that played no more a role in the ecosystem than gorillas, fireflies, or jellyfish. But about seventy thousand years ago, a mysterious change in Homo sapiens' cognitive abilities transformed it into the master of the planet and the ecosystem's nightmare. How did Homo sapiens conquer the world? What happened to the other human species? When and why did money, governments, and religion emerge? How have empires risen and fallen? Why have almost all societies valued women inferior to men? How have science and capitalism become the dominant creeds of the modern era? Have people become happier over time? What future awaits us? Yuval Harari shows how the course of history has shaped human society and the reality around it. His book traces the connections between past events and contemporary issues, challenging readers to reexamine their preconceived notions about the world around them.