Call for Papers: Republic of San Marino in July

Big History seeks to understand the integrated history of the Cosmos, Earth, Life, and Humanity, using the best available empirical evidence and scholarly methods.  Almost a century ago, scientists gave us a new history of the cosmos by showing that our own galaxy, the Milky Way, was but one of an extraordinary number of other galaxies.  In recent decades, scientists have located thousands of potentially habitable planets in just our own galaxy.  Scientists at SETI are also looking for evidence that there is (intelligent) life beyond Earth.  What does it mean to the big history account when the lines from the Big Bang go not only to the Milky Way, Earth, life on Earth, and humanity, but in many other directions as well?  That is part of what big historians and SETI scientists will be considering in July in the beautiful setting of Republic of San Marino (roughly between Florence and Ancona, Italy).  We look for your help in figuring out how ongoing scientific investigations are engaging big history.  Please see the Call for Papers pdf for details.