Mark Cox considers humankind's place within the universe and how we have lived during our time on earth in this collection of poetry. Shaped by his own non-religious views of belief systems, and how these systems shape the people we are, he also postulates that nurture and knowledge both have a big influence on our outlook on life.

The poems in The Human Ape have been inspired by Mark's observation of the natural world around us, our life in the modern world, as well as how many aspects of our world are superfluous to our basic requirements for survival.

Humankind's interaction with each other over the years, leading to an expansion of knowledge but also to more conflict, and how that conflict is hard to see from another point of view, is another focus in the book. Finally, Mark considers our own mortality; how we view and fear death, and its unwavering certainty. A central theme running throughout the book is how we, as humans, should live peacefully together to have the best lives we can.

Inspired by The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and programs like Wonders of the Solar System, The Human Ape takes an imaginative look at science, the universe and the world around us.