Big History

5,000 years of recorded history is no more than 1 millionth of Earth’s entire lifespan. It’s difficult to grasp the colossal scale of time and space. Yet how do we humans come to terms with our planet’s history? “Big History” helps bring disparate disciplines together in one cohesive account of Earth’s deep past. Published in 2011, Cynthia Brown’s award-winning book has been translated into 9 languages and helped propel the “big history” meme to viral status. This new edition is more relevant than ever before; we now face global challenges--climate change, mass migration, dwindling resources--that are not merely scientific but humanly existential. We must confront these challenges head-on and grapple with the consequences that will extend far beyond our lifetimes.