Big History | 13.8 Billion Years of Cosmic & Human History
Learn how
everything came to
be the way it is
What Is Big History all about?
This video course narrated by Professor Christian tells the full story of how we came to be. It places us in the context of our universe, revealing how and why we got to where we are now. Starting with the Big Bang and our origin in the stars, it travels 13.8 billion years of cosmic and human history to show how a unique series of events shaped the complex world we know today.
Built for university quality learning experiences
Explore our lesson titles:
- 1.Introduction
- 2.How complex things emerge
- 3.The Big Bang and Origins of Everything
- 4.The First Stars
- 5.Formation of New Elements
- 1.The First Planets
- 2.Planet Earth’s Formation
- 3.Life On Earth
- 4.The Birth of Dinosaurs
- 5.Mammals and Brainy Animals
- 1.Humans and Collective Learning
- 2.The Beginning of Human History
- 3.Agriculture and Farming
- 4.The Rise Of Towns and Cities
- 5.The World Expands
- 1.Globalisation
- 2.The Making Of The Modern World
- 3.Today’s World And Facing New Dangers
- 4.The Future For Humanity
- 5.The Future For The Universe
Complete the course and receive your personalised Certificate of Achievement from the creator of Big History for your academic records.
Meet your guide: Professor David Christian
Professor David Christian is the founder of Big History. He is an Emeritus Professor of Macquarie University and has created, written and narrated this online video course for grade 5 and 6 primary / elementary school students.
Professor Christian is presenter of one of the 11 classic TED Talks with over 12 million views, and instructor in the world's first Big History MOOC on COURSERA. David has given hundreds of presentations internationally, including Davos World Economic Forum in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
He is a member of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities, and a former member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Global History and The Cambridge World History.
Hear from educators on our whole of syllabus approach
Professor Christian’s Big History is a modern origin story for a modern age.
Professor Christian rouses our curiosity by narrating his Origin Story in a captivating way weaving together the many curriculum subjects and making it easy for students to understand the links between cosmology, astronomy, chemistry, biology, geology, physics, geography, ancient and modern history.
This course will help students understand the world in which they live and help set them up for their journey through secondary school and into their world thereafter.
Big History helps us question everything we see, and everything we think we know.
Positive Aspects of the Big History Program
Comments by Grade 5/6 students at The King's School Parramatta NSW Australia who participated in the Beta trial
(Ariv, Austin, Henry, Eden, Jeremy, Aiden, Oscar Y., Oscar Z., Josiah, Rayan, Lucas, Luca, Jaith)
Engaging and Informative Content
- The program presents complex topics in a clear and understandable manner, making them accessible to Year 5 and 6 students.
- The structure effectively explains the history of the universe, from the Big Bang to the present.
- The inclusion of engaging visuals, images, and well-crafted videos enhances learning.
High-Quality Presentation
- The narration is clear and captivating, with expressive speech and well-timed background music.
- Subtitles improve accessibility and help reinforce understanding.
- The program maintains a consistent and professional tone throughout.
Interactive and Enjoyable Learning Experience
- The format of watching a video followed by a quiz is well-structured and helps with retention.
- The ability to retry quizzes reinforces learning.
- The content sparks curiosity, leading students to explore topics further.
Answer the big questions
Get the full picture with our course: the history of science and all of humanity
Stuff of stars
Did you know every atom in our bodies was made inside a dying star?
Shared origins
Did you know that every one of us shares a common ancestor with every living organism on the planet?
Our predecessors
Did you know that 99% of species that ever lived are now extinct?
Learn More About Our Work
Who we are
Creative Consultant
Vice President Australian Academy of Science
University of Sydney
University of Queensland
Former US Ambassador for Global Health
Director Studio Camera Editor
Creative
Technical Director
Storage specialist
Question Supervisor
Former Headmaster The Kings' School Sydney