The Book of the Universe, Stars, Sun, Earth, Life and Humankind

Book excerpt: This is the story of the Universe including life as we know it. It is a book of origins, prehistory and history ... arranged in Three Testaments to honour the supreme achievements of the talented men and women who have been unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos, evolution, human antiquity and world history. Composed in biblical-prose format, the volume presents the facts of science and, as best as possible, relevant truths of history. The scientific facts rest on proven principles gained by observation, instrumentation, insight, intelligence, reason, and the application of physical laws and the formulation of harmonious, logical models. In defining the latest wisdom, they spell out the fundamentals of the physics of the wonders of the Universe--regarding which ever more exact details are improving all the time. It is testimony and eulogy, in praise of high scholarship and logic--the ultimate Enlightenment. Testament 1 tells the story of the Universe, the Stars, the Solar System and Planet Earth. Testament 2 examines the Origins of Life on Earth. The Third Testament treats the story of humanity as it proceeds to the present day--humans enriched with intelligence and a genetically-promising future. Yet, despite the successes, the story concludes with an Epilogue contemplating "How did it come about that Homo sapiens in the course of 160,000 years manage to get itself into the current mess?"--referring to the amalgam of authoritative religions, undemocratic governments, reckless overpopulation and irresponsible worldwide waste on land and ocean. AUTHORS The authors number millions--among them leading scientists who have been probing the mysteries of the Universe and the origins of life, unprejudiced archaeologists evaluating the evidence of prehistory, and ethical historians and erudite writers considering the chronicled records of past millennia. Between them, they report the triumphs, discoveries, events and disasters of humankind. Professor Dr Terence Meaden--retired physicist and active archaeologist from Oxford University--serves as editor and commentator. The result is a compendium of knowledge annotated with honourable intentions for the common good. Socrates: "There is only one good, Knowledge, and only one evil, Ignorance." Jacob Bronowski: Fear not insight; fear not science, for "science is only a Latin word for knowledge." 1973. The Ascent of Man. "Through genius and the employment of mature theories, rational principles and the logic of mathematical physics comes enlightenment ... and the world of conscious knowledge is poised to advance." 2020. First Testament, Chapter 1, Verse 13, Page 6. Jacob Bronowski: "In every age there is a turning point, a new way of seeing and asserting the coherence of the world." 1973. Ascent of Man, Chapter 1.