Harari's latest book reveals the threats posed by technology. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Before his Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind became a phenomenon around the globe, Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari probably did not imagine he would become a celebrity.

His lecture in Beijing last year was as popular as a concert, attracting thousands.

First written in Hebrew in 2011 and later translated into more than 40 languages, the book reviews human history within a framework provided by the natural sciences. It was called the "bible of mankind's cultural and economic and philosophical evolution" by the (London) Guardian.

The Chinese translation was among the winners of Wenjin Book Award, one of the top book awards in China, in 2015.

"For me, the aim of studying history is to be liberated from it," Harari, 41, says in an email interview.

"By understanding how history shaped our society and our worldview, we can realize that they are not inevitable, and that we can change them and create a different future."