Cosmic Evolution: From Big Bang to Humankind

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• Learn more about astronomy, biology, chemistry, and space exploration.

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Developed by The Wright Center for Science Education at Tufts University, Cosmic Evolution uses movies, animations, and activities to explore the Big Bang. “Cosmic Evolution is the study of the many varied changes in the assembly and composition of energy, matter and life in the thinning and cooling universe.”This website is divided into eight epochs of cosmic evolution.

• Particulate: Looks at cosmology, relativity, age controversies, and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
• Galactic: Investigates the evolution, origins, distribution, and types of galaxies, as well as the first stars
• Stellar: Examines stellar birth, death, and modeling, the origins of heavy elements, sun-like evolution, star formation, and exotic stars
• Planetary: Describes cosmic catastrophes, solar system modeling, atmospheres and oceans, Earth’s age, plate techtonics, extrasolar planets, and comparative planetology
• Chemical: Sets out qualities of life, theories of origins, life’s handedness, energy flow, and laboratory simulations
• Biological: Explores early cells, ancient fossils, recent fossils, Darwin and Mendel, and paths toward humanity
• Cultural: Provides information about paleoanthropology, human intelligence, climatic change, and behavior and socialization
• Future: Outlines near-term and distant global problems, life elsewhere in the social system, prospects for life in galaxy, ways to make contact, alternative biochemistries, and discover the ultimate dilemma of the future

Each epoch includes images, movies, research materials, nd educational resources related to the topic at hand.