- How did man, a physical weakling, rise to dominate a planet of powerful carnivores?
- Does contemporary man differ from his ancient predecessors?
- Can man's future be seen in his past?
- Is man good, evil, both, or neither?
- What will likely end man's reign on earth?
Characters learn what it means to be human-in both good times and bad. In Fire, an African tribesman struggles to cope after his three-year-old child is swept away by a powerful river. In The Hunt, a clan braves the tundra as they seek to kill bison, driving off other carnivores, and finding ways to keep warm in their bid to continue living. In The Astronaut, a spaceman marvels at passing through perhaps the greatest gateway of all: outer space.
Entertaining and thought provoking, Two Hundred Thousand Years explores how man got to where he is today and where he might be going in the future.