A complete history of the universe, spanning 13.8 billion years in an
ultra-accessible, uncommonly illuminating, exhilarating chronicle of key
events
"Baker introduces us not only to the history of our species and our
planet, but the history of our vast universe."--from the foreword by
John Green, author of The Anthropocene Reviewed and The Fault in Our
Stars
In this thrilling history, David Baker captures the longest-possible
time span--from the Big Bang to the present day--in an astonishingly
concise retelling. His impressive timeline includes the "rise of
complexity" in the cosmos and the creation of the first atoms; the
origin of all galaxies, stars, and our solar system; and the evolution
of life on Earth, from tiny single-celled organisms to human beings.
Weaving together insights across the sciences--including chemistry,
physics, biology, archaeology, and anthropology--Baker answers the
fundamental questions: How did time begin? Why does matter exist? What
made life on Earth the way it is? He also argues that never before has
life on Earth been forced to adjust to a changing climate so rapidly,
nor has one species ever been responsible for such sudden change.
Baker's grand view offers the clearest picture of what may come
next--and the role we can still play in our planet's fate.
