Carl Sagan once said of Earth;

“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering… every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

Sagan wished for us to look at our planet with a new perspective. Not as a big world filled with endless resources, but as a dot in an unfathomably large ocean of mystery we call the universe. He wanted us to take care of this dot; to recognize that chances are, we are not alone; and that if there is to be hope for survival, it is to work together for a brighter future filled with scientific exploration and discovery.

It is easy to dismiss the “big picture” when family issues, school, and work dominate the majority of our lives. It is hard to look past the news headlines and envision a brighter future. It is equally difficult to understand where we are collectively by studying history.

The histories of nations and cultures around the world are separated by borders, beliefs, and language. We learn about what makes us different rather than what makes us alike. We focus on the disasters of wars, the inhumanity of kings and tyrants, and the greed of men.

These stories encompassing the dark side of mankind should serve as a warning to future generations. While we are capable of such wondrous creation and beauty, we are also capable of mass destruction.

It is the way we learn about our history that characterizes our view of the present and future. If we are taught a violent history we are more likely to accept violence. If we are brought up to idolize celebrity’s, politicians, and sports stars we are less likely to appreciate teachers, scientists, and activists.

After creating one of the most widely used products on the market, and after amassing the largest fortune to date, Bill Gates has become a powerful advocate for change. His most recent philanthropic endeavor involves changing the way history is taught.

After watching Australian Professor David Christian’s revolutionary college course entitled “Big History” the richest man in the world thought to himself, “God, everyone should watch this thing!”

“Big History” is best described by its creator, Christian, who said “I hope by the end of this course, you will have a much better sense of the underlying unity of modern knowledge.” Beginning with the Big Bang, Christian’s course takes students through the history of our universe.

Instead of going back a few hundred years to look at the birth of the United States, or a few thousand years to study the Egyptians, “Big History” takes us 13.7 billion years back to a time when the Universe was merely a speck.

This course focuses on answering the big questions we should all be asking: Where did we come from? How did we get here? And, why are we here?

“Big History” takes us far beyond an Earthly perspective, and with any luck, changing our perspective on history will let us change perspective on our future.