The Human Cosmos: A Secret History of the Stars

A journey through the history of science and humankind's relationship with the night sky and the cosmos beyond, from the author of Royal Society Prize-shortlisted Cure

 

For most of human history, we have had a close relationship with the stars. Once they shaped our religious beliefs, power structures, scientific advances and even our biology. But over the last few centuries we have separated ourselves from the universe that surrounds us. And it comes at a cost.

The Human Cosmos is a tour of this history: from the Hall of the Bulls in Lascaux to Tahitian sailors navigating by the stars; from medieval monks grappling with the nature of time to Einstein realising that space and time are the same. It shows we need to rediscover the universe we inhabit, its effect on our health, and its potential for inspiration and revelation.

"A dazzling cultural account of our enduring and ever-changing relationship to the cosmos. Beginning with cave paintings and stone circles, Marchant traces humanity's epic journey from a sky filled with gods, spirits and celestial events that shaped people's lives and beliefs to the Big Bang and the search for alien life. This book will change the way you look at the night sky" -- MANJIT KUMAR, author of QUANTUM

"Vast in scope and meticulously researched this brilliant book traces humanity's enduring relationship with our physical and cultural ancestors: the stars. Full of fascinating stories, Jo Marchant weaves astronomy with astrology, mathematical physics with gods and spirits. It made me question my reality and left me starstruck" -- GAIA VINCE ― author of Transcendence and Adventures in the Anthropocene

"Marchant's vast and fascinating story packs in plenty of human detail . . . inspiring and persuasive" ― Guardian

"Humans have always been fascinated by the stars. But why are we so drawn to these celestial objects? Jo Marchant reveals this historical relationship through beautifully told stories, of gods and spirits, mathematicians and physicists . . . The Human Cosmos is not just a pleasure to read, it's one you'll want to share with everyone you know who is interested in astronomy" ― BBC Science Focus

"Marchant is a deft writer. Her characters are vivid, and her stories flow. The unexpected connections she makes . . . are often quite satisfying . . . A reminder that the forces that shape humanity far precede modern people and will persist long after we're gone" ― New York Times

"A thought-provoking look at how fascination with the heavens has shaped human culture, and still does" ― Economist, Book of the Year

"An important and delicious book. Jo Marchant, whipsmart, sensitive, and eloquent yet unforced as ever, mines the history of stargazing to show that today's cosmology can't reveal the "intrinsic nature" of anything, whether stars, stardust or human existence, because omitting human consciousness from its equations impoverishes not just our comprehension of the universe, but the notion of understanding itself" -- DAVID DOBBS

"An extensively researched and fascinating book . . . The reader will find much that is new and intriguing in The Human Cosmos . . . ought to be essential reading" ― Journal of the British Astronomical Association

"Science journalist Marchant explores the relationship between humans and the celestial in this luminous and fascinating journey through science, religion, culture and everything in between" ― Newsweek

"A unique and mind-expanding enquiry . . . a tour de force on par with Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari" ― Booklist (starred review)

About the Author