History of Science

Teach a more complete history of science and technology. These resources outline the big-picture innovations that reshaped the world as well as introduce students to lesser-known non-Western innovators that will make them rethink stereotypes about who can be a scientist.

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Featured Materials

Unit 1 Overview: What Is Big History?
BHP Teacher Rachel Hansen in front of the BHP Course Timeline with text "Unit 1: Big History"
Video

Unit 1 Overview: What Is Big History?

What is Big History? Rachel Hansen will be your guide as you travel through the Universe’s 13.8-billion-year history, or what we like to call Big History.

Dr. Wu and the Left-Handed Universe: Chien-Shiung Wu – Graphic Biography
Illustration of Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu, the first lady of physics
Article

Dr. Wu and the Left-Handed Universe: Chien-Shiung Wu – Graphic Biography

Chien-Shiung Wu is today known as the “First Lady of Physics.” Yet, many people don’t know her name. She broke barriers and disproved one of the fundamental laws of physics.

Scale – Changing Views Timeline
Activity

Scale – Changing Views Timeline

As technology improved, so did our understanding of the Universe. Create a timeline to depict how our views of the Universe have changed over time.
Claudius Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy
Article

Claudius Ptolemy

An Earth-centered view of the Universe from an ancient astronomer.
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus
Article

Nicolaus Copernicus

Nicolaus Copernicus set off a scientific revolution with his Sun-centered view of the Universe.
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Article

Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton laid the foundation of our current understanding of physics and the Universe.
Henrietta Leavitt
Henrietta Leavitt
Article

Henrietta Leavitt

Henrietta Leavitt discovered a fascinating relationship that allowed her to measure distance in the Universe.
Edwin Hubble
Edwin Hubble
Article

Edwin Hubble

Thousands of years of thinking and evidence culminate in Hubble's discovery of a vast and expanding Universe.
Standing on the Shoulders of Invisible Giants
Illustration of Nicolaus Copernicus standing the shoulders of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi
Article

Standing on the Shoulders of Invisible Giants

The history of science is a history of our collective learning. Historians piece together different conversations to tell a story that crosses centuries and continents.

Views of the Universe Debate
Activity

Views of the Universe Debate

So, what do you think was the most influential model of the Universe? Conduct research and prepare for debate!
The Missing Link?: The Maragha Observatory
Illustration of various scholars at the Maragha Observatory in Persia
Article

The Missing Link?: The Maragha Observatory

From Ptolemy to Copernicus and Galileo, thinkers have debated what the Universe looked like for centuries. Ultimately, scholars moved from an Earth-centered model to a Sun-centered model. How did we get there?

Explore the lesson plan

How Did Our Understanding of the Universe Change
Lesson 2.1
Big History Project
The Big Bang
How Did Our Understanding of the Universe Change?
Scientific understanding is dynamic. Our views on the origin and structure of the Universe have changed drastically over the last thousand years as new evidence—which has often been exposed by new technology—and new generations of scientific minds enter the picture.
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