Every individual born inherits the genes of a literally unbroken line of successful ancestors. We inherit the genes that equipped this pro-genitorial elite, as I called them, to be an elite. The exact means by which an individual becomes a successful ancestor varies from species to species but, however they do it, we are all descended from individuals who were good at it. ‘Good at it’ means good at flying in the case of birds, bats and pterosaurs, good at digging in the case of moles, aardvarks and wombats, good at hunting in the case of lions, hawks and pike, good at fighting in the case of male deer, elephant seals and parasitic fig wasps.