Introduction to Big History I

As seekers, we have all wondered about the origin of everything around us and how it will all end up. This course is designed to address those questions, using the latest scientific and historical research available.  Part I tells the story of the universe from the Big Bang to the emergence of life on Earth. Part II, the sequel to this course, will trace the evolution of human beings, our history as Earth’s dominant species, and what the future may look like to the end (heat death?) of the universe. Curiosity, imagination, a sense of wonder, and an open mind are the only prerequisites for attending this class.

David Christian, Origin Story: A Big History of Everything, ISBN 978-0316392006.

Bill Hammond is a retired high school history teacher who trained with and helped pilot Bill Gates’s Big History Project, a global, online version of Professor David Christian’s Macquarie University course.