The Future

History is not only the study of the past, but also the present and the future. We’ve collected some of the most forward-thinking scholarship on what our history as humans suggests about what is to come. The future is always uncertain—but by helping students understand recurring themes within history, they can be ready for what’s next.

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Explore the lesson plans

Looking Back
Lesson 10.0
Big History Project
The Future
Looking Back
Our ideas about the future are shaped by our knowledge of the past. The thresholds of increasing complexity provide important clues to what the future might look like—for us, our planet, and the Universe.
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The Biosphere
Lesson 10.1
Big History Project
The Future
The Biosphere
The global ecosystem—our biosphere—has never been static, but change has accelerated over the last century. The effect of our species on the Earth is unparalleled, and the future will be shaped by the choices we make today.
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Looking Forward
Lesson 10.2
Big History Project
The Future
Looking Forward
Viewing the past from the points of view of different disciplines gives us a rich, detailed picture of the history of the Universe. We can apply the same technique when we envision the future, both near and far.
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Are We Alone
Lesson 10.3
Big History Project
The Future
Are We Alone?
Modern science is the key to answering the long-asked questions about whether life exists elsewhere in the Universe. Until science finds the evidence it needs one way or the other, we continue to wonder.
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Yeah But
Lesson 7.6
Origins to Present
The Great Convergence and Divergence
Yeah, But?
As humanity continues to grapple with the social and political fallout of the twentieth century’s rapid globalization, dire warnings about our physical world are being issued from many corners. How will we move forward?
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