The Biggest Picture is a full-page spread pictorial science book explaining the scientific origins of the Universe aimed at a broad range of ages and abilities. Using stunning graphic representations and an easy-to-read, present tense format, The Biggest Picture shows pivotal moments from our planet’s evolution in a new light. Wendy Curtis sought the advice of experts from a wide variety of fields–including astronomy, geology, and anthropology–and compiled this knowledge into a visual record with concisely written supporting text; creating a rich, all-encompassing tapestry of our planetary history.
The journey begins with the Big Bang and continues in one unbroken sweep forward through time, leaving readers with a clear and concise picture of our transit through history. Curtis gives her audience a thorough understanding of how the cosmic creation of the elements affected the evolution of stars and solar systems, how the mechanics of the Earth-Moon system nurtured the rise of life, and how life subsequently influenced geologic processes. As the reader approaches the final chapters, they arrive where we are today: Contemporary astrophysicists are grappling to explain the origin of the cosmos; biologists are attempting to untangle the web of evolution; and social and environmental scientists are struggling with the problems of crime, terror, war, economic downturns and disruptions, climate change, and the preservation of the biosphere.