Book excerpt: "How did the universe begin? Where did humans come from? Why did Darwin cause such a commotion? How did the Romans conquer the world? Find out in this whistle-stop history of our changing world. Bulging with pop-ups, flaps and booklets, this eye-opening guide covers billions of years, from the birth of the universe to ancient civilisations, the present and even the future of our incredible planet."--Back cover.