Collaborators through Time: How Humans Partnered with Nature, Technology, and Each Other

by R. Alexander Bentley, Michael J. O'Brien

Overview

Spanning 2 million years, this book examines how humans partnered with nature, technology, and each other to shape their world, from evolutionary origins and ancient innovations to the rise of artificial intelligence.

This book examines how humans collaborated with other entities, expanding in scale from individuals to other species of Homo, and further to the formation of groups, interactions with organisms, connections with past generations, and the transformative role of technology. Through dozens of vivid examples –from the lives of Neanderthals to the origins of agriculture, the impact of ancient diseases, the practices of shamans, Bronze Age innovations, global trade routes, and the products of the world's first cities – this narrative illuminates the intricate web of partnerships that defined human history. The final chapter delves into artificial intelligence, illustrating how its evolution mirrors the co-evolution of humans with technologies.

AI's rapid development of learning and collaborative abilities echoes humanity's own adaptive journey, albeit at an accelerated pace. Richly illustrated with over 50 full-color figures, this book offers a visually engaging and intellectually stimulating journey through the partnerships that have shaped our world, from the dawn of prehistory to the cutting edge of AI.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538197707
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/08/2026
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Alex Bentley is a professor of anthropology and director of the Computational Social Sciences program at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, USA.

Michael J. O'Brien is a professor of history and psychology at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, USA.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Us
2. Other Species
3. Other People
4. Other Organisms
5. Other Generations
6. Other Traditions
7. Other Networks
8. Another and Another
8. Other Intelligence

Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Collaborators through Time uses the rich and often surprising evidence of archaeology to give us a fresh perspective on human culture and the future of our species; moving back and forth across the millennia, its chapters are consistently thought-provoking, while avoiding the kind of platitudes that plague most books of this genre.” —David Wengrow, Professor of Comparative Archaeology at University College London and co-author of The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity

“A novel slant on human history from our ancestors to artificial intelligence. Highly readable and full of vivid examples to illustrate the argument.” —Stephen Shennan, Professor of Theoretical Archaeology, University College London

“How unprecedented is the current rise of Artificial Intelligence? What can deep history tell us about humanity's ability to work with our newest artificial 'collaborator'? Bentley and O'Brien showcase archaeology's ability to tackle these questions, drawing on a survey of data dating back to the origin of our species to search for general lessons and make suggestions for the future. Their book is well-written and makes a compelling case for protecting humanity's creativity…. The book's central message: generating knowledge has always required collaboration, and preserving quiet spaces and expertise is critical for our survival.” —Adam S. Green, Lecturer in Sustainability, Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK

“This clear, trenchant book is a powerful antidote to the hype around new technologies. Will my job be eaten by AI? Will my children even have a job? Will AI become our new overlords?
By highlighting the long history of humanity's collaboration - with other people, other species and the technologies we create - the authors cast AI technologies as our next potential partners, rather than mortal enemies.
Crisp, wide-ranging, with endlessly fascinating scholarly detail from a range of human sciences made accessible and understandable, it's a must-read for both the worried and the curious.” —Mark Earls (HERDmeister), writer and consultant on human behaviour

“Ranging across thousands of years in this epic exploration of innovation and ingenuity, Bentley and O'Brien look at where we've come from - and where we're going.” —Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham; Sunday Times bestselling author of Domination, Crypt, Buried and Ancestors

“A sweeping tour of humanity's greatest invention: collaboration. From Stone Age spears to smartphones, Bentley and O'Brien show progress not as the triumph of lone geniuses, but as the result of networks of people, traditions, and technologies. A fascinating reminder of the collective nature of innovation.” —César A. Hidalgo, Director, Center for Collective Learning, author of The Infinite Alphabet and the Laws of Knowledge

From the Publisher