Cosmic Heritage

This book follows the evolutionary trail all the way from the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago to conscious life today. It is an accessible introductory book written for the interested layperson ¿ anyone interested in the `big picture¿ coming from modern science. It covers a wide range of topics including the origin and evolution of our universe, the nature and origin of life, the evolution of life including questions of birth and death, the evolution of cognition, the nature of consciousness, the possibility of extraterrestrial life and the future of the universe. The book is written in a narrative style, as these topics are all parts of a single story. It concludes with a discussion on the nature and future of science.

The author is Canadian, obtained a PhD in astrophysics at the University of Sydney in Australia, and spent most of his career as a senior scientist at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), based in Munich. He has authored or co-authored over 250 scientific papers, and edited six books on astronomy and astrophysics. His interests have ranged from our galaxy to distant quasars and the reionization of the universe. He was instrumental in the establishment of Europe¿s participation in the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) project. A member of various international organizations and committees, he served as President of the International Astronomical Union¿s Division on Galaxies and the Universe. Now retired, he and his Australian wife split their time between Sydney, Toronto, and Europe, and he devotes himself to broadening his horizons in science, in the process having written this book.

Setting the scene.- The universe is expanding and evolving.- Whats the matter?.- Inner and outer space.- The origin of our universe and others?.- Is our universe fine-tuned for life?.- The universe on fast forward.- The cradles of life.- The astonishing diversity of life.- The astonishing unity of life.- How did life begin?.- How did life evolve?.- Comings and goings.- Did cognition evolve?.- What about consciousness?.- Are we special?.- Are we alone in the universe?.- What is the future of the universe?.- Why should we be able to understand the universe at all?.- Epilogue.- Further Reading.- Acknowledgements.- Index.