This text for an introductory undergraduate course in physical anthropology is designed to engage majors and non-majors alike who have little no or background in the field, with accessible language and an appealing layout of color photos, locator maps, and illustrations on every page, including a timeline on the fold-out inside covers. The learning features for this second edition include new two-page spreads explaining the work of key figures and the role of key discoveries. Other student-friendly features include boxes on real-world research methods and applications, chapter-opening 'Big Questions,' such as "Is Race a Valid, Biologically Meaningful Concept?," with answers at the chapter's end, and AnthroTours, which offer virtual Google Earth tours of key locations discussed in the text. The text begins with the study of living organisms, with material on key concepts in biology from an evolutionary perspective, then presents evidence of the past 50 million years. Unlike many texts, coverage continues into developments since the appearance of modern humans 10,000 years ago, such as the development of agriculture and animal domestication. Part III explores issues such as global obesity and emerging infectious diseases. This second edition contains a new chapter on primate behavior and new content on the evolution of uniquely human behaviors. The companion website features review quizzes incorporating art and photos from the text, flashcards (many with images), and video links. Larsen heads the department of anthropology at The Ohio State University. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Read Less