How did the mind evolve? How does the human mind differ from the minds of our ancestors, and from the minds of our nearest relatives, the apes? What are the universal features of the human mind, and why are they designed the way they are? If our minds are built by selfish genes, why are we so cooperative? Can the differences between male and female psychology be explained in evolutionary terms? These questions are at the centre of a rapidly growing research programme called evolutionary psychology.

Dylan Evans in a Lecturer in Behavioural Science, School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Oscar Zarate is a much-loved graphic artist who has illustrated numerous bestselling Introducing titles.