Explaining Humans

Winner of the Royal Society Science Book Prize

By: Camilla Pang

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eBook | 12 March 2020

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256 Pages

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How proteins, machine learning and molecular chemistry can teach us about human behaviour

Winner of the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2020

How do we understand the people around us? How do we recognise people's motivations, their behaviour, or even their facial expressions? And, when do we learn the social cues that dictate human behaviour?

Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of eight, Camilla Pang struggled to understand the world around her and the way people worked. Desperate for a solution, Camilla asked her mother if there was an instruction manual for humans that she could consult. But, without the blueprint to life she was hoping for, Camilla began to create her own. Now armed with a PhD in biochemistry, Camilla dismantles our obscure social customs and identifies what it really means to be human using her unique expertise and a language she knows best: science.

Through a set of scientific principles, this book examines life's everyday interactions including:

Decisions and the route we take to make them;

Conflict and how we can avoid it;

Relationships and how we establish them;

Etiquette and how we conform to it.

Explaining Humans is an original and incisive exploration of human nature and the strangeness of social norms, written from the outside looking in. Camilla's unique perspective of the world, in turn, tells us so much about ourselves - about who we are and why we do it - and is a fascinating guide on how to lead a more connected, happier life.

About the Author

Dr Camilla Pang holds a PhD in Biochemistry from University College London and is a Postdoctoral Scientist specialising in Translational Bioinformatics. At the age of eight, Camilla was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and ADHD at 26-years-old. Her career and studies have been heavily influenced by her diagnosis and she is driven by her passion for understanding humans, our behaviours and how we work.

Industry Reviews

"This vital memoir illuminates the power of being on the autism spectrum"
The Times

"This book is truly exceptional. Applying science to the problems of human relationships, the perils of perfectionism and the pitfalls of social etiquette, Millie has written a joyous, funny and hugely insightful text for all of us - whether neurotypical or neurodiverse. This 'Outsiders Guide to the Human Race' is warm, witty and a joy to read."
Gina Rippon, cognitive neuroscientist/autism researcher and author of The Gendered Brain

"Thoughtful, incisive and important: this is a must-read for an accessible education in human understanding. It blew my mind!"
Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop and Becoming: Second Sex, Second Chances, and Figuring Out Who the Hell I Am

"Whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, Pang's witty account is a must-read for anyone who wants to broaden their understanding of life beyond what society defines as the 'norm'"
Dazed

"Camilla's book is an accessible guide to scientific concepts that is humorous and engaging"
BBC Science Focus