origin story a big history of everything

In others, they look more like history textbooks. In some societies, they manifest as creation myths. He is credited with coining the term Big History and he serves as president of the International Big History Association.Ĭhristian's best-selling Teaching Company course entitled Big History caught the attention of philanthropist Bill Gates who is personally funding Christian's efforts to develop a program to bring the course to high school students worldwide in part via the website The course frames human history in terms of cosmic, geological, and biological history. He began teaching the first course in 1989 which examined history from the Big Bang to the present using a multidisciplinary approach with assistance from scholars in diverse specializations from the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. in 19th century Russian history from Oxford University in 1974. in Russian history from the University of Western Ontario, and a Ph.D. He grew up in Africa and in England, where he earned his B.A.

With stunning insights into the origin of the universe, the beginning of life, the emergence of humans, and what the future might bring, Origin Story boldly reframes our place in the cosmos.ĭavid Gilbert Christian is an Anglo-American historian and scholar of Russian history notable for creating and spearheading an interdisciplinary approach known as Big History. In Origin Story, Christian takes readers on a wild ride through the entire 13.8 billion years we've come to know as 'history.' By focusing on defining events (thresholds), major trends, and profound questions about our origins, Christian exposes the hidden threads that tie everything together - from the creation of the planet to the advent of agriculture, nuclear war, and beyond.

These were the questions David Christian set out to answer when he created the field of 'Big History,' the most exciting new approach to understanding where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.

But what would it look like to study the whole of history, from the big bang through the present day - and even into the remote future? How would looking at the full span of time change the way we perceive the universe, the earth, and our very existence? Most historians study the smallest slivers of time, emphasizing specific dates, individuals, and documents. ** A 2018 GoodReads Choice Award Nominee in the History & Biography category**Ī captivating history of the universe - from before the dawn of time through the far reaches of the distant future.

Origin story a big history of everything