The Wright Centre for Science Education offers a wonderfully informative multimedia website which details 12 billion years of cosmic evolution. It is based on the textbook Universe: an Evolutionary Approach to Astronomy written by Eric Chaisson.
In many ways, the text strives to answer the questions that have confounded men since the dawn of time – who are we and why are were here? I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether those answers come through faith or through scientific method or some combination of the two.
Site Organization for Cosmic Evolution
- Epoch 1 – Particulate Evolution
- Cosmology and Relativity
- Cosmoligical Tests
- First Few Minutes
- Later Periods
- Very Early Universe
- Age Controversies
- 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
- Epoch 2: – Galactic Evolution
- Galaxy Types
- Galaxy Distribution
- Active Galaxies
- Black Holes
- Galaxy Origins
- First Stars
- Galaxy Evolution
- Epoch 3 – Stellar Evolution
- Steller Modeling
- Steller Birth
- Observations of Star Formation
- Sun-like Evolution
- Stellar Death
- Origin of Heavy Elements
- Exotic “Stars”
- Epoch 4 – Planetary Evolution
- Solar System Modeling
- Cosmic Catastrophies
- Earth’s Age
- Atmosphere and Oceans
- Plate Tectonics
- Comparative Planetology
- Extrasolar Planets
- Epoch 5 – Chemical Evolution
- Qualities of Life
- Theories of Life’s Origins
- Biochemistry Review
- Life’s Handedness
- Laboratory Simulations
- Energy Flow
- Rising Complexity
- Epoch 6 – Biological Evolution
- Early Cells
- Ancient Fossils
- Extreme Life
- Recent Fossils
- Darwin and Mendel
- Paths Toward Humanity
- Brain Evolution
- Epoch 7 – Cultural Evolution
- Paleoanthropology
- Behavior and Socialization
- Human Intelligence
- Climatic Change
- Cultural Factors
- Most Recent 10,000 Years
- Here and Now
- Epoch 8 – Future Evolution
- Near-Term Global Problems
- Distant Global Problems
- Future’s Ultimate Dilemma
- Life Elsewhere in Solar System
- Alternative Biochemistries
- Prospects for Life in Galaxy
- Ways to Make Contact
View this Free Online Material at the source:
Cosmic Evolution
