Subscribe now

Timothy Taylor is an archaeologist at Bradford University and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. As a member ofthe Centre for International Forensic Assistance he has investigated potential ritual dimensions in two child homicide cases in Britain. Author of the bestselling The Prehistory of Sex, he has just published The Buried Soul, in which he explores how humans invented death. With Eros and Thanatos under his belt, he now plans to turn his attention to material things – from the first stone tool to our modern consumer society.

When you were six, you had a tantrum over Sunday lunch at your…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop