Winner of the Independent Publishers Silver Medal Award, Science category - IPPY 2015.Upon opening this book the reader is embarking on a visual odyssey through vast cosmic stretches of space and time, from the moment the Universe is born to the present. The illustrations lead the chronological unfolding of events and the words support the illustrations. The ideas presented took generations of humans to work out. They can be difficult to comprehend, but only one main idea is presented on each page spread which allows that profound concept to shine in a simple, uncluttered way, enabling the reader to think and see more easily, even while reading. The illustrations will also help the reader to remember the concept or refer to it again later (without needing to use the index).With these first order ideas the reader will have a fundamental understanding of the evolution of the Universe, life and science. We hope this new framework inspires the reader to find further information in other books, museums, science programs or our upcoming app which will offer more detail accessible through clickable links and animations. In this way we hope the reader will steer their own ship of science and gather more supporting information at their leisure, stowing new enriching details they discover along the way. If the supporting details are sound, they will bolster the framework of understanding. If the new details are inconsistent, it will be an indication of an error in the framework or the details. In science (unlike some other codes of human thought), the theory or framework must fit the facts. The scientific process mandates that the framework or paradigm be altered if necessary.Science is a tool that humanity is continually shaping in our quest to understand the world around us. We at GeoBookStudio endeavor to nurture the reader's sense of wonder and a skeptical inquisitiveness for knowledge, to empower the reader with not just the achievements of science but the process of science as well.