Spanning 13.8 billion years, Big History brings together science and humanities to trace the progress of the universe across eight thresholds: the Big Bang, the birth of stars, forging of elements, planet formation, the emergence of life, human evolution, the development of civilizations and, finally, the rise of industry. Each topic within this vast sweep is explained in over 150 concise, richly illustrated double-page spreads, and the book ends with timelines of world history.