A cutting-edge examination of what this means to be individual also to have a ‘self’ in the face of new scientific developments in genetic editing and enhancing, cloning and neural downloading.

After seeing his own cells used to grow clumps of fresh neurons – essentially mini-brains – Philip Ball begins to examine the concepts of identity and consciousness. Delving into humanity’s deep evolutionary past to look at how complex creatures like us surfaced from single-celled existence, he offers a fresh perspective on how humans consider ourselves.

In a day and time when we are increasingly prompted to regard the ‘self’ as an abstract sequence of genetic information, or like a pattern of neural activity that could be ‘downloaded’ to a computer, he return us to your body – to flesh and blood – and anchors a conception of personhood in this unique and ephemeral mortal coil. Developing a Human brings us back again to ourselves – but in doing this, it challenges outdated preconceptions and values. It asks us to rethink how we can be found in the globe.