Future stories What's next?

In this erudite and immersive study, Big History Project cofounder Christian (Origin Story) examines the science and history of "future thinking" and sketches what the distant future might look like. Noting that the mysteries of the future are a fundamental concern for all living organisms, Christian examines how bacteria, animals, and plants manage the future by setting goals, assessing trends, and taking action. For example, E. coli cells contain "whiplike tails," or flagella, that sense the presence or absence of food up ahead and propel the cell in the appropriate direction. Christian also delves into philosophical disagreements over whether change is real or a "seductive illusion"; explains how Einstein's theory of relativity shows that "there is no absolute way of specifying when the past ends and the future begins"; and differentiates between the human experience of natural, psychological, and social time. Looking ahead to the 22nd century and beyond, Christian poses intriguing if hard-to-grasp thought experiments, such as whether "transhumanist technologies and evolutionary adaptations to different environments will split humanity into many subspecies." Though actionable insights are few and far between, Christian lucidly explains complex scientific, philosophical, and historical concepts. The result is a stimulating look ahead. Agent: Max Brockman, Brockman, Inc. (June)

Historian Christian (Origin Story) examines how humans look toward the future, how living things prepare for future eventualities, and conflicting notions of the "future." Is the future a map that one can plan by, or is it a river that can't be controlled? The goal is giving a user's guide to the future. Ideas of philosophers, scientists, theologians, fortune tellers, authors, social scientists, and others are blended to show how the ideas of the future have been managed throughout history. Later chapters look at what humans can or are doing to the planet to change the future existence of all life--some good and some very bad. Christian even looks that the future of the solar system and universe. Ideas included are thoroughly explained and many basics are included to bring the reader up on that theory or idea. Glossary, bibliography, notes and index help readers understand ideas, where to find more information, and quickly find topics. VERDICT Christian, cofounder of the Big History Project with Bill Gates, offers an engaging and accessible look towards the future that makes for good reading.--Ann West LaPrise