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Big History - From the Big Bang until Today

Esther Quaedackers

Welcome to this Big History course! In this course, renowned scientists and scholars from the University of Amsterdam and beyond will take you on a journey from the Big Bang until today while addressing key questions in their fields. After completing this journey you will have developed a better understanding of how you and everything around you became the way they are today. You will also have gained an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that have helped shape the history of everything and how they wil help shape the future. Last but not least, you will have developed the skill to use this knowledge to put smaller subjects into a bigger perspective with the aid of the little big history approach, which can help you develop some new ideas on these smaller subjects.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

Cosmic History

The History of Earth and Life

Human History

Wrap up

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores the history of science, math and technology

Taught by renowned scientists and scholars from the University of Amsterdam

Develops an understanding of how everything around us became the way they are today

Examines highly relevant topics in a comprehensive manner

Teaches how to put smaller subjects into a bigger perspective with the aid of the little big history approach

Advises students to take other courses first as prerequisites

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Reviews summary

Adequate intro to big history

Learners say this interesting course with knowledgeable instructors lays out nice ideas about connecting knowledge from the Big Bang to the present day. However, they also say that the course only scratches the surface and the frustrating grading system for quizzes forced some to drop out. This course may be a good fit for learners who are new to the topic but who want more depth and clearer grading may wish to look elsewhere.

The instructors are knowledgeable and nice.

"This course lays out some nice ideas about connecting knowledge. The instructors are nice nad knowledgeable."

"I really loved the professors at University of Amsterdam."

This course offers a unique and interesting approach to history.

"Phenomenal."

"This course lays out some nice ideas about connecting knowledge."

This course only scratches the surface of the topics covered.

"This course lays out some nice ideas about connecting knowledge. The instructors are nice nad knowledgeable. However, giving lecture about various things such as the origin of chemical elements up to the agricultural development seems like a nice way of looking at things, but this only scratches the surface of the needed knowledge for such an approach."

The grading system for quizzes is frustrating.

"I had to drop out because I was so frustrated with the grading of the quizzes: for an 8-question multiple choice test, there was not one point per question. Instead, there was ANY combination of correct answers within the four (or even five?) possible choices for EACH question; in other words, multiple choices were possible within the framework of only one question., and it was graded according to each bubble you filled out or did not fill out PER QUESTION."

"The questions were indeed not for the layperson - I would have had to review each lecture, perhaps many times, to decipher the correct answer for some of the questions, and this was not my intent with this course."

Career center

Learners who complete Big History - From the Big Bang until Today will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Cosmologist

A Cosmologist will find the Big History course to be a valuable resource as it will help provide a wider context to their work. Cosmologists study the origin of and evolution of the universe, so the ability to see the bigger picture of how our universe came to be is important. This course covers everything from the Big Bang to today, which will enhance a Cosmologist's scope and range of knowledge.

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Paleontologist

For Paleontologists, the Big History course will be an incredibly useful resource as it gives a history of the earth and of life. Studying the history of life on earth through the fossil record is an important part of the work of a Paleontologist, so having a background in the history of the earth will be a major benefit.

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Astronomer

For an Astronomer, the Big History course will be incredibly valuable in their studies relating to the origins of the universe, as the course studies the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang up until today. The history of astronomy and the history of the universe are closely related. Learning about the Big Bang and subsequent cosmic history will help the role of an astronomer to better grasp the evolutionary history of the universe up until today.

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Historian

For Historians, the Big History course will be incredibly valuable as it provides a wider and broader scope of history outside of just human history. This course covers everything from the Big Bang to today, from cosmic history to the history of Earth and life, which will enhance a Historian's scope and range of knowledge.

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Geologist

The Big History course is an incredibly relevant course for those working as Geologists, as it will give them a more well rounded understanding of the history of the Earth. This course covers The history of Earth and life, and human history, so a Geologist will be able to see how the Earth has changed and evolved over billions of years.

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Teacher

The Big History course will be useful for a Teacher, particularly one teaching science or history. The course includes modules on cosmic history, the history of Earth and life, and human history. Being able to teach students about the bigger picture of our history in the universe will be of great value to Teachers.

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Zoologist

For Zoologists, the Big History course will be beneficial in the sense that it will provide a broader context for understanding the history of life on earth. Zoologists study the behavior, physiology, anatomy, classification, and evolution of animals. Having a grasp of the history of the Earth and of life will help inform a Zoologist's work.

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Science Writer

The Big History course will be useful for a future Science Writer as it will provide them with a bigger picture view of the history of science and how we have evolved over time. Science Writers write about current scientific advances, and being able to provide a broader historical context for these advances will make them a more valuable asset.

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Ecologist

For Ecologists, the Big History course will be beneficial in the sense that it will provide context for understanding the development of life on earth. Ecologists study the interactions of organisms with their environment, including the physical and biological factors that affect the distribution and abundance of organisms.

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Climatologist

For those working as Climatologists, the Big History course will be useful for better understanding the history of climate change. The course includes modules on cosmic history the history of Earth and life, and human history. Climatologists study climate patterns and the impact on our planet, and having a foundational background in how our climate came to be will be beneficial for Climatologists.

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Meteorologist

As the Big History course covers cosmic history through human history, it will give Meteorologists an important foundational understanding of the history of our planet and of meteorology.

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Biologist

Those hoping to work as a Biologist may find the Big History course useful, as it will help provide a wider context for their work. Biologists study living organisms, their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution, but not always at the level of the bigger picture. This course will help build a foundation for better understanding the evolution of life on earth on a macro scale.

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Astrophysicist

The Big History course will be useful for a future career as an Astrophysicist as it will help provide a better understanding of the physical laws that govern the universe in which we live as well as a larger scale view of how and why those physical laws came to be.

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Physicist

The Big History course will be of some use to a Physicist as it will help provide a better understanding of the physical laws that govern the universe in which we live.

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Oceanographer

The Big History course will be of some use to an Oceanographer as it will help provide a better understanding of the historical changes the oceans have gone through and how they have changed life on Earth.

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Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Big History - From the Big Bang until Today.

A Really Short History of Words