Charles Darwin has profoundly influenced our thinking about humanity and its development through his work and its impact. His groundbreaking theory of evolution by natural selection was presented in 1859 in his work "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection" and further developed in 1871 in "The Descent of Man," addressing the origins of humanity in both its physical and psychological dimensions. A key text for current debates on the boundaries and opportunities of human genome and embryo research is made accessible here, enriched with Darwin's original notes. The detailed introduction by Christian Vogel and Eckart Voland provides valuable insights for understanding the text in its forward-looking relevance and its historical-contemporary interconnections.