Books
The Social Instinct:
What Nature Can Teach Us About Working Together
Why cooperate? This may be the most important scientific question we have ever, and will ever, face.
Why do we live in families?
Why do we help complete strangers?
Why do we compare ourselves to others?
Why do we cooperate?
The science of cooperation tells us not only how we got here, but also where we might end up. In The Social Instinct Nichola Raihani introduces us to other species who, like us, live and work together. From the pied babblers of the Kalahari to the cleaner fish of the Great Barrier Reef, they happen to be some of the most fascinating and extraordinarily successful species on this planet. What do we have in common with these animals, and what can we learn from them? The Social Instinct is an exhilarating, far-reaching and thought-provoking journey through all life on Earth, with profound insights into what makes us human and how our societies work.
WINNER: Humanists UK Voltaire Lecture Medal, 2021
WINNER: ZSL Prize for Communicating Science, 2023
“A pleasing juxtaposition of insightful scientific theory with illuminating anecdotes.” — Richard Dawkins
“A superb book” —Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors
“Surprising, thoughtful and, best of all, endlessly entertaining.” — Will Storr, author of The Status Game
The Thinking Animal:
What Other Intelligence Reveals About Our Own
A dazzling journey into the minds of animals - and what they can tell us about our own brains
Why do dogs say hello, but never goodbye?
What makes baby penguins think the first animal they see is their mother?
Why are bonobos impulsive while chimpanzees show restraint?
And what does all this tell us about how humans think?
In The Thinking Animal, Nichola Raihani takes us on a journey into the minds of other species, revealing the extraordinary intelligence at work in the animal world. Drawing on her expertise as a Professor of Evolution and Behaviour, she explores how animals navigate in space and time, how they communicate, manipulate and collaborate. She reveals how they bond with one another - and with us - and how they are being forced to adapt to a changing world.
From elephants keeping vigil over their dead to ants using an internal pedometer to map their journeys, the inner lives of animals are rich with ingenuity and complexity. But just because an animal's behaviour looks familiar, doesn't mean it is being driven by the same thoughts or emotions as humans. By uncovering these differences, The Thinking Animal challenges us to rethink what intelligence is and how it is shaped by evolution. In doing so, it offers a fresh perspective on the many thinking animals we share our planet with - and the responsibility that comes with understanding them.