Colin Tudge tells the history of Ida--a perfectly fossilized early primate predating the most famous primate fossil, Lucy, by 44 million years--and her place in the world. At the same time, he explains how Ida opens a stunningly evocative window into our past and changes what we know about primate evolution and, ultimately, our own.

Includes index.

Discovering ida -- Ida's story begins -- Ida's Eocene world -- The Messel pit -- How primates became -- Primate evolution -- From the Eocene to us -- Who and what is Ida? -- Revealing Ida to the world.