Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution

Our true origins are not only human or even terrestrial, but in fact cosmic. Drawing on recent scientific breakthroughs and cross-pollination among geology, biology, astrophysics, and cosmology, "Origins" illuminates the soul-stirring leaps in our understanding of the cosmos. This newly revised and updated edition features startling discoveries such as the more than 5,000 newly detected exoplanets that shed light on the origins of and possibilities for life in the cosmos, along with data from a host of new ground-based and spaceborne observatories that have fundamentally changed what we know about the expanding universe—and maybe even the laws of physics.

From the first image of a galaxy's birth to tantalizing evidence of water not only on Mars but also on the asteroid Ceres, as well as moons of Jupiter and Saturn, coauthors Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith conduct an exhilarating tour of the cosmos with clarity and exuberance.