The history of our world in 18 minutes | David Christian | TED
TED・2 minutes read
The universe tends towards disorder, but pockets with "Goldilocks conditions" generate complexity, leading to the gradual emergence of stars, planets, and life over 13.7 billion years. Humans stand out due to their collective learning ability, emphasized in a free online syllabus in big history for high-school students worldwide, aiming to equip future generations like Daniel and his peers for challenges and opportunities ahead.
Insights
- Complexity in the universe arises from specific conditions that allow for the creation of more intricate structures, with each stage of complexity building upon the previous one, showcasing significant advancements at threshold moments.
- Human uniqueness lies in their collective learning ability facilitated by language, enabling the accumulation and transmission of information across generations, ultimately leading to the current global interconnectedness and complexity, emphasizing the vital role of collective learning for future generations.
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Recent questions
How does complexity in the universe evolve?
Complexity in the universe evolves through pockets with "Goldilocks conditions," where the right circumstances lead to the creation of more complex entities. Each stage of complexity builds upon the previous one, with threshold moments marking significant advancements. Despite the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the universe tends towards disorder, the universe showcases staggering complexity, such as New York City trading 10 billion distinct commodities. This complexity is a result of ideal conditions for chemistry and life, involving the right amount of energy, a diversity of chemical elements, and liquids like water.
What is the significance of DNA in life?
DNA is a molecule that carries information and has the ability to copy itself, leading to the accumulation of new ways of creating living organisms. Life introduces DNA as a crucial component that drives evolution and the development of more complex organisms. Over four billion years, life on Earth evolved from single-celled organisms to complex multi-celled creatures, including humans, all due to the role of DNA in passing down genetic information and enabling adaptation to changing environments.
How have humans evolved differently from other organisms?
Humans stand out from other organisms due to their ability for collective learning, enabled by language. This unique trait allows information to accumulate and be passed down through generations, leading to the current global interconnectedness and complexity. Humans have the capacity to learn from each other, innovate, and build upon existing knowledge, creating a continuous cycle of progress and development that sets them apart in the evolutionary timeline.
What is the role of collective learning in shaping the future?
Collective learning plays a crucial role in shaping the future by enabling the accumulation of knowledge and information across generations. Through collective learning, societies can build upon past experiences, innovate, and adapt to changing circumstances. This process has led to the current global interconnectedness and complexity, highlighting the power of shared knowledge in driving progress and addressing future challenges effectively.
What is the purpose of the online syllabus in big history?
The purpose of the free, online syllabus in big history is to equip high-school students worldwide with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities they will encounter. By emphasizing the importance of collective learning and the power it holds for future generations, the syllabus aims to prepare students like Daniel and his peers for a complex and interconnected world. Through a comprehensive study of big history, students can gain insights into the evolution of the universe, life on Earth, and the role of collective learning in shaping the future.
Related videos
Summary
00:00
Universe's Complexity: From Disorder to Humans
- The video shows an egg unscrambling itself, highlighting the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the universe tends towards disorder.
- Despite this law, the universe showcases staggering complexity, with New York City alone trading 10 billion distinct commodities.
- Complexity in the universe is generated in pockets with "Goldilocks conditions," leading to the creation of more complex entities.
- Each stage of complexity builds upon the previous one, with threshold moments marking significant advancements.
- The universe's history, starting from the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago, shows the gradual emergence of stars, planets, and eventually, living organisms.
- Living organisms, including humans, are significantly more fragile but creative, capable of generating further complexity.
- The ideal conditions for chemistry and life involve the right amount of energy, a diversity of chemical elements, and liquids like water.
- Life introduces DNA, a molecule that carries information and copies itself, leading to the accumulation of new ways of creating living organisms.
- Over four billion years, life on Earth evolved from single-celled organisms to complex multi-celled creatures, including humans.
- Humans stand out due to their ability for collective learning, enabled by language, allowing information to accumulate and be passed down through generations, leading to the current global interconnectedness and complexity.
16:26
Global Big History Syllabus for High School
- A free, online syllabus in big history is being developed for high-school students worldwide, aiming to equip them with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities they will encounter, emphasizing the importance of collective learning and the power it holds for future generations like Daniel and his peers.
