NDLI: The Natural Science Underlying Big History

Content Provider	PubMed Central
Author	Chaisson, Eric J.
Copyright Year	2014
Abstract	Nature's many varied complex systems—including galaxies, stars, planets, life, and society—are islands of order within the increasingly disordered Universe. All organized systems are subject to physical, biological, or cultural evolution, which together comprise the grander interdisciplinary subject of cosmic evolution. A wealth of observational data supports the hypothesis that increasingly complex systems evolve unceasingly, uncaringly, and unpredictably from big bang to humankind. These are global history greatly extended, big history with a scientific basis, and natural history broadly portrayed across ∼14 billion years of time. Human beings and our cultural inventions are not special, unique, or apart from Nature; rather, we are an integral part of a universal evolutionary process connecting all such complex systems throughout space and time. Such evolution writ large has significant potential to unify the natural sciences into a holistic understanding of who we are and whence we came. No new science (beyond frontier, nonequilibrium thermodynamics) is needed to describe cosmic evolution's major milestones at a deep and empirical level. Quantitative models and experimental tests imply that a remarkable simplicity underlies the emergence and growth of complexity for a wide spectrum of known and diverse systems. Energy is a principal facilitator of the rising complexity of ordered systems within the expanding Universe; energy flows are as central to life and society as they are to stars and galaxies. In particular, energy rate density—contrasting with information content or entropy production—is an objective metric suitable to gauge relative degrees of complexity among a hierarchy of widely assorted systems observed throughout the material Universe. Operationally, those systems capable of utilizing optimum amounts of energy tend to survive, and those that cannot are nonrandomly eliminated.
Related Links	http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/384912
Starting Page	384912
File Format	PDF
ISSN	23566140
e-ISSN	1537744X
Journal	The Scientific World Journal
Volume Number	2014
Language	English
Publisher	Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publisher Date	2014-01-01
Access Restriction	Open
Rights Holder	Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Subject Keyword	Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all) Environmental Science(all) Medicine(all) Research in Higher Education
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Medicine Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Environmental Science

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

The Natural Science Underlying Big History

Analyzing Big Data with the Hybrid Interval Regression Methods

Distilling Big Data: Refining Quality Information in the Era of Yottabytes

Mechanisms Underlying the Osteo- and Adipo-Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Understanding Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Airway Epithelial Repair: Selecting the Most Appropriate Animal Models

Research on Coordination of Fresh Produce Supply Chain in Big Market Sales Environment

The Laws of Natural Deduction in Inference by DNA Computer

Rediscovering Recovery: Reconceptualizing Underlying Assumptions of Citizenship and Interrelated Notions of Care and Support

Salinity Tolerance Turfgrass: History and Prospects

The Natural Science Underlying Big History

Similar Documents

The Natural Science Underlying Big History

Analyzing Big Data with the Hybrid Interval Regression Methods

Distilling Big Data: Refining Quality Information in the Era of Yottabytes

Mechanisms Underlying the Osteo- and Adipo-Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Understanding Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Airway Epithelial Repair: Selecting the Most Appropriate Animal Models

Research on Coordination of Fresh Produce Supply Chain in Big Market Sales Environment

The Laws of Natural Deduction in Inference by DNA Computer

Rediscovering Recovery: Reconceptualizing Underlying Assumptions of Citizenship and Interrelated Notions of Care and Support

Salinity Tolerance Turfgrass: History and Prospects

The Natural Science Underlying Big History