Human evolution (Reprinted from Trends in Biochemical Science, vol 12, Dec., 1999)

The origin, history, and singularity of our species has fascinated storytel lers, philosophers and scientists throughout, and doubtless before, recorde d history. Anthropology, the modern-era discipline that deals with these is sues, is a notoriously contentious field, perhaps because the topic at hand - the nature of our own species - is one that is difficult or impossible t o approach in an unbiased way. Recently, molecular genetics has increasingl y contributed to this field. Here, I briefly discuss three areas where I be lieve molecular studies are Likely to be of decisive importance in the futu re. These concern the questions of where and when our species originated, w hat the genetic background for characters that differ between us and apes i s, and how the phenotypic traits that vary among human groups have evolved.