Where do we come from? Humanists UK’s new schools video with Alice Roberts tells the scientific story of our origins, from the Big Bang, through the evolution of stars, planets, life, and, ultimately, us, revealing what we are made from and how we are connected to the rest of the living world. This short but beautiful animation highlights the wonder in this story that humanists (and others) might draw on as a source of inspiration, meaning, and value in their lives.
https://understandinghumanism.org.uk/
Transcript
Billions of years ago, the whole universe was packed tightly together, smaller than a grain of sand. Then suddenly, bang! It got bigger. Much bigger and very, very fast. In this early universe, there were atoms, the tiny building blocks that would build almost everything else. Gravity pulled the atoms together. Millions, billions, trillions of them. And made the stars and the atoms inside the stars smash together, releasing heat and light in the hearts of the stars. New atoms formed bigger but still ever so small. New building blocks that in time would go on to build new things. Things like you. You are made from stardust. But stars don't last forever.
They grow bigger and bigger then collapse and explode. Throwing atoms out across the universe. Until gravity pulls them together again to make new stars. Stars like our sun and planets. One of which is very special to us. Earth. Our home. At first the Earth was lifeless and boiling hot, but in the depths of the oceans, something sparked a few chemicals built from those atoms that had been formed in the stars began to make copies of themselves. The beginning of life. Life was very simple for a long time, just single, tiny cells. But over time, life changed slowly at first. Each generation a little different from the last.
Like children, are a little different from their parents. And over millions of years, many, many small changes can lead to big changes. Life exploded into millions of brilliant and beautiful new forms, branching in many different directions, adapting to environments, evolving over time. We are related to every other living thing on the planet. Plants and fungi. Worms and insects. Fish. Amphibians. Reptiles. Mammals. Primates. Apes. Humans. You. Thinking. Feeling. Choosing. Caring. Dreaming. Wondering. You. Such simple ingredients. Such wondrous results. You're lucky to be here. If any one event in this chain had happened differently, then you might not have made it.
We are all a part of this story. We all belong to it. How incredible that we're able to look back and tell this story, to answer our questions about where we come from. To see the evidence all around us. The story is not yet complete. We don't know everything. But if we keep looking, we'll learn more. Maybe you can help.
