Physical anthropology is a dynamic field. We have up-dated all chapters based on new information. This is most strongly seen in the chapters on the fossil record of human evolution. In fact as the book was going to press, it was announced that a new hominid species had been discovered in Indonesia characterized by small stature and small cranial capacity, and dated at 18,000 B.P. (Chapter 15). We have added questions to the chapter openings that gives the student a preview of the important concepts found in each chapter.

The major design change made in this edition is the addition of full color. In previous editions we had color inserts and two-color illustrations. Now almost all of our illustrations are in full-color. Although our illustrations have been chosen for their instructive value, we hope that they are an aesthetically appealing addition to the book. More specific additions and changes in this edition are listed below:

• Ch. 1 Investigating the Nature of Human Kind The sections on scientific thinking, “Creation Science,” and intelligent design have been revised. The box on the Scope’s Trial was revised and a new box has been added on William “Strata” Smith.
• Ch. 2 The Study of Heredity We have expanded the information on twin studies and clarified the section of the Principle of Segregation. We rewrote the box on Gregor Mendel and added to the box, “Facts about DNA”. The section on hemoglobin and sickle-cell anemia has been moved to Chapter Five.
• Ch. 3 The Modern Study of Human Genetics We updated material on molecular genetics, rewrote and up-dated much of the section called “The Control of Human Biological Evolution,” and added a section on stem cell research and new material on cloning.
• Ch. 5 Nature Selection and the Origin of Species We expanded the section on kin selection and the section on hemoglobin and sickle-cell anemia. A new box on the meaning of the word evolution has been added.
• Ch. 7 The Living Primates We adopted a new classification of the primates that reflects current thinking about taxonomy and primate evolution. Because of the new taxonomy, we have followed the current practice of replacing hominid with the term hominin to refer to humans and their predecessors that lived after the split from a common ancestor with the apes. The chapter includes an extensive reorganization of the descriptions of major groups of primates. We also added a box on color vision.
• Ch. 8 Comparative Studies of Anatomy and Genetics The chapter includes new illustrations that blend tables and pictures. Sections on comparative cytogenetics and molecular biology have been updated and reorganized.
• Ch. 9 Nonhuman Primate Behavior We have up-dated the box on the behavior of the Coguerel’s Dwarf Lemur and the material on the social behavior of chimpanzees.
• Ch. 10 Human Behavior in Perspective We rewrote the material on the human band and added a new section on demographics and life history. We also rewrote the section on “Skepticism about Ape-Language Studies” to show more clearly why what the apes are doing (in terms of sign language) is not really language. We discuss the significance of the FOX2P gene to the evolution of language in a new Box.
• Ch. 11 The Record of the Past The geologic time scale was recalibrated using the latest available radiometric dates.
• Ch. 12 The Nonhominin Primate Fossil Record With the discovery of very old hominin fossils the gap is closing between the oldest hominins and the apelike fossils. Therefore, the material on the oldest hominins was moved from Chapter 13 into Chapter 12. We also discuss recently discovered fossils.
• Ch. 13 The Early Hominins All new significant fossil finds are described and discussed. We rewrote and reorganized the material on the evolution of human social and cultural behavior.
• Ch. 14 Early Species of the Genus Homo All the new significant fossil finds that fall into the time period covered by this chapter have been included and discussed. We added new discussions of the evolution of human social organization and cultural potentials.
• Ch. 15 The evolution of Homo sapiens As with chapter 13 and 14, new significant fossil finds are discussed. As with Chapter 14 we discuss the further evolution of social and cultural potentials that evolved in the time period covered by this chapter.
• Ch. 16 The Biology of Modern Homo sapiens We moved our discussion of Gloger’s, Allen’s, and Bergmann’s rules from Chapter 17 to this chapter.
• Ch. 17 The Analysis of Human Variation We did a major rewrite of the concept of "race" in which we discuss in more detail why race is a social construct with little biological validity. There is a new section titled "Race as Illusion." We added the most recent genomic data and a new section on why the medical profession still uses racial categories in research and diagnosis.
• Ch. 18 The Modern World We added new sections on global warming and terrorism, including the use of dirty bombs.