by Dan M. Mrejeru
Creative Book Writers
book review by Mihir Shah
“It was this metamorphose of the virtual static into virtual dynamic that created the modern brain”
What makes us, us? From a scientific perspective, Mrejeru brings together a comprehensive and full-scale anthropological examination of mankind’s evolution. Through a compilation of his many articles on the topic, the author probes deeper into how a combination of nature and nurture, from brain changes to the advent of fire and climate cooling, contributed to shaping humanity in its various phases.
The scope of Mrejeru’s work is downright incredible; it has documented catalysts dating as far back as seven million years to social and economic commentary on COVID-19, especially in the colossal adverse impacts it had in the Indian subcontinent. Cutting right to the core, the author emphasizes two anatomical shifts in the brain that led to the rise first of hominin and then the more familiar homo sapiens. From the cosmic view, a mere two million years ago, humanity and chimps exhibited the same brain organization, more or less.
While the work is structured as a series of articles, a clear breakdown of abstract, discussion, and conclusion, integrated with timely boldface to emphasize key elements, creates a simple reading experience for all audiences. Whether the articles dive into insightful commentary on slavery and war or take the reader through a scintillating psychological and neurological understanding of the birth of bipedalism, they ensure driving home the point without the density of history and science textbooks. Delving further, Mrejeru employs a biopsychosocial perspective, explaining what could further the propensity for mental health disorders like schizophrenia. Simultaneously, he weaves in historical context and neurogenesis while asking overlooked questions like “Why did prehistoric people migrate out of Africa?”
Wisdom exists in nearly every sentence of this work; however, the author’s unassuming nature and dedication to his aims of the piece are routinely on display when he brings in accomplished references and scholars to give audiences a more comprehensive and cultivated analysis. For instance, in the study of neurogenesis, he brings on the Katsimpardi Group and their research in aged mice. As the author traverses the timeline from human origin to the present, he discusses everything from changes in the oculomotor system and entropy to Gibbs’s Free Energy principle and the evolution of consciousness. Truly, Mrejeru leaves no stone unturned in his quest to chart the dynamic nature of the human brain from its origin. In particular, the section on quantum mind theories delivers an Inception-like intrigue to its multilayered propositions.
Cave art like that found at Lascaux is a demarcation of the mind during its symbolic thinking phase. In separate regions of the world, the author references the Biombo Cave art in South Africa while also highlighting the Borneo Cave paintings in Indonesia. Herein, the changes are primarily attributed to the necessity for survival based on environmental conditions that would have been present. By surveying the most microscopic aspects of the brain, Mrejeru can identify distinguishing brain characteristics between ethnic groups, such as the thicker and larger cortex in East Asian demographics. Above all else, the author seamlessly blends his penchant for teaching the science and psychology behind mankind’s evolution, while still keeping audiences engaged by connecting with relatable terms like curiosity—the bedrock of human progress—and human emotion. Mrejeru’s work is a thought-provoking discourse on what it means to be human, and how the ultimate motor, the brain, can continue to evolve into the technological age.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review
US Review of Books 