From the origins of the universe to the evolution of human society, this sweeping work traces the history of life on Earth over the course of a billion years. Written in a clear and engaging style, the book covers a wide range of topics, including geology, biology, astronomy, philosophy, and more. Along the way, readers will encounter many of the key figures and events that have shaped our understanding of the world around us. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.