Big History: The Greatest Events of All Time From the Big Bang to Binary Code

CONTENTS
FOREWORD BY DAVID CHRISTIAN
INTRODUCTION
1 THE BIG BANG
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	ORIGIN STORIES
	THE NEBRA SKY DISC
	ASTRONOMY BEGINS
	EARTH ORBITS THE SUN
	SEEING THE LIGHT
	THE ATOM AND THE UNIVERSE
	THE UNIVERSE GETS BIGGER
	THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE
	THE BIG BANG
	RE-CREATING THE BIG BANG
	BEYOND THE BIG BANG
2 STARS ARE BORN
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	THE FIRST STARS
	THE PUZZLE OF GRAVITY
	THE FIRST GALAXIES
	HUBBLE EXTREME DEEP FIELD
3 ELEMENTS ARE FORGED
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	THE LIFE CYCLE OF A STAR
	HOW NEW ELEMENTS FORM INSIDE STARS
	WHEN GIANT STARS EXPLODE
	MAKING SENSE OF THE ELEMENTS
4 PLANETS FORM
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	OUR SUN IGNITES
	THE PLANETS FORM
	THE IMILAC METEORITE
	THE SUN TAKES CONTROL
	HOW WE FIND SOLAR SYSTEMS
	EARTH COOLS
	EARTH SETTLES INTO LAYERS
	THE MOON’S ROLE
	THE CONTINENTS ARE BORN
	DATING EARTH
	ZIRCON CRYSTAL
	CONTINENTS DRIFT
	HOW EARTH’S CRUST MOVES
	OCEAN FLOOR
5 LIFE EMERGES
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	STORY OF LIFE
	LIFE’S INGREDIENTS FORM
	THE GENETIC CODE
	LIFE BEGINS
	HOW LIFE EVOLVES
	HISTORY OF EVOLUTION
	MICROBES APPEAR
	LIFE DISCOVERS SUNLIGHT
	OXYGEN FILLS THE AIR
	COMPLEX CELLS EVOLVE
	SEX MIXES GENES
	CELLS BEGIN TO BUILD BODIES
	MALES AND FEMALES DIVERGE
	ANIMALS GET A BRAIN
	ANIMAL LIFE EXPLODES
	ANIMALS GAIN A BACKBONE
	RISE OF THE VERTEBRATES
	JAWS CREATE TOP PREDATORS
	PLANTS MOVE ONTO LAND
	WENLOCK LIMESTONE
	ANIMALS INVADE LAND
	REINVENTING THE WING
	THE FIRST SEEDS
	SHELLED EGGS ARE BORN
	HOW COAL FORMED
	LIZARD IN AMBER
	THE LAND DRIES OUT
	REPTILES DIVERSIFY
	BIRDS TAKE TO THE AIR
	CONTINENTS SHIFT AND LIFE DIVIDES
	THE PLANET BLOSSOMS
	MASS EXTINCTIONS
	PLANTS RECRUIT INSECTS
	THE RISE OF MAMMALS
	GRASSLANDS ADVANCE
	EVOLUTION TRANSFORMS LIFE
	HOW WE CLASSIFY LIFE
	ICE CORES
	EARTH FREEZES
6 HUMANS EVOLVE
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	THE PRIMATE FAMILY
	HOMININS EVOLVE
	APES BEGIN TO WALK UPRIGHT
	GROWING A LARGER BRAIN
	THE NEANDERTHALS
	KEBRA NEANDERTHAL
	EARLY HUMANS DISPERSE
	ANCIENT DNA
	THE FIRST HOMO SAPIENS
	BRINGING UP BABIES
	HOW LANGUAGE EVOLVED
	COLLECTIVE LEARNING
	THE BIRTH OF CREATIVITY
	HUNTER-GATHERERS EMERGE
	PALAEOLITHIC ART
	THE INVENTION OF CLOTHING
	HUMANS HARNESS FIRE
	BURIAL PRACTICES
	HUMANS BECOME DOMINANT
7 CIVILIZATIONS DEVELOP
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	CLIMATE CHANGES THE LANDSCAPE
	FORAGERS BECOME FARMERS
	AFFLUENT FORAGERS
	HUNTERS BEGIN TO GROW FOOD
	FARMING BEGINS
	WILD PLANTS BECOME CROPS
	POLLEN GRAINS
	FARMERS DOMESTICATE ANIMALS
	FARMING SPREADS
	MEASURING TIME
	NEW USES FOR ANIMALS
	INNOVATIONS INCREASE YIELDS
	SURPLUS BECOMES POWER
	POPULATION STARTS TO RISE
	THE FENTON VASE
	EARLY SETTLEMENTS
	SOCIETY GETS ORGANIZED
	RULERS EMERGE
	LAW, ORDER, AND JUSTICE
	THE WRITTEN WORD
	WRITING DEVELOPS
	268 WATERING THE DESERT
	CITY-STATES EMERGE
	FARMING IMPACTS THE ENVIRONMENT
	BELIEF SYSTEMS
	GRAVE GOODS
	CLOTHING SHOWS STATUS
	USING METALS
	ÖTZI THE ICEMAN
	CONFLICT LEADS TO WAR
	AGE OF EMPIRES
	HOW EMPIRES RISE AND FALL
	MAKING MONEY
	UNHEALTHY DEVELOPMENTS
	TRADE NETWORKS DEVELOP
	EAST MEETS WEST
	TRADE GOES GLOBAL
8 INDUSTRY RISES
	GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
	THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
	COAL FUELS INDUSTRY
	STEAM POWER DRIVES CHANGE
	THE PROCESS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION
	INDUSTRY GOES GLOBAL
	GOVERNMENTS EVOLVE
	CONSUMERISM TAKES OFF
	EQUALITY AND FREEDOM
	NATIONALISM EMERGES
	THE INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY
	THE WORLD OPENS TO TRADE
	WAR DRIVES INNOVATION
	COLONIAL EMPIRES GROW
	SOCIETY TRANSFORMS
	EDUCATION EXPANDS
	MEDICAL ADVANCES
	ROAD TO GLOBALIZATION
	ENGINES SHRINK THE WORLD
	NEWS TRAVELS FASTER
	SOCIAL NETWORKS EXPAND
	GROWTH AND CONSUMPTION
	FINDING THE ENERGY
	NUCLEAR OPTIONS
	ENTERING THE ANTHROPOCENE
	CLIMATE CHANGE
	ELEMENTS UNDER THREAT
	THE QUEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY
	WHERE NEXT?
INDEX AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS