Howhumansbecamesodependentonthingsandhowthisneedhasgrowndangerouslyoutofcontrol.Overthreemillionyearsago,ourancientancestorsrealizedthatrockscouldbebrokenintosharp-edgedobjectsforslicingmeat,makingthefirstknives.Thisdiscoveryresultedinagoodmealandeventuallychangedthefateofourspeciesandourplanet.WithSoMuchStuff,archaeologistChipColwellsetsouttoinvestigatewhyhumankindwentfromself-sufficientprimatestononstopshoppers,fromneedingnothingtoneedingeverything.Alongtheway,heuncoversspectacularandstrangepointsaroundtheworld--anItaliancavewiththeworld’sfirstknownpaintedart,aHongKongskyscraperwhereapriestesschannelsthegods,andamountainoftrashthatrivalstheStatueofLiberty.Throughtheseexamples,Colwellshowshowhumanitytookthreeleapsthatledtostuffbecominginseparablefromourlives,inspiringaloveaffairwiththingsthatmayleadtoourdownfall.Now,aslandfillsbrimandoceansdrownintrash,Colwellissuesatimelycalltoreevaluateourrelationshipwiththethingsthatbothcreatedandthreatentoundoouroverstuffedplanet.
