Name: The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind
Start: 2022-08-17T10:00:00-04:00
End: 2022-08-17T12:00:00-04:00
Location: Zoom

A Most Improbable Story: The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind
by Steven J. Theroux Please join us on Wednesday, August 17 at 10 am (New York time) over Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81260036126?pwd=NTRHVEF0Y3ROSG5Yb0l5YXpscEw2Zz09 for Steven Theroux’s presentation, whose topic is also that of his just published book. His book and preseentation to us is a “Big History” of the evidence regarding how we came to be. It briefly explores philosophical thought and how our past might affect our future. The text summarizes different perspectives, including the strengths and weaknesses of each. The genesis of our planet is explored, especially the circumstances that must exist for complex life to arise. This journey highlights the history of life, the emergence of simple lifeforms, and the evolution of complex creatures, including humans. The book concludes with a discussion of why other humanoids went extinct while our species achieved dominance. The author considers potentialities awaiting humankind and our planet.This is the first “Big History” written from the perspective of a biologist.

The first “Big History” written from the perspective of a biologist
Summarizes multiple perspectives of history
Documents the unique conditions for the emergence of life
Speculates on the future

Please note that Chapter 12, which is entitled “The Genesis of Behaviorally Modern Homo sapiens. A Cognitively Advanced Human That Can Reflect Upon Its Existence”, is available to read via the open access platform established by Taylor and Francis.

Steven J. Theroux was Professor and Chair of the Natural Sciences department at Assumption University in Massachusetts. He currently teaches Genetics and Biology of Cancer at Harvard University and Assumption University

The webinar will be moderated by
Dr. Paul Narguizian
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
California State University, Los Angeles

A Most Improbable Story: The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter|22 pages
Introduction
Perspective Matters, But Perspective Isn’t EverythingPart Part I|87 pages
The Making of a Habitable WorldChapter 1|18 pages
In the Beginning
The Genesis of the Universe

Chapter 2|12 pages
The Life and Death of a Star

Chapter 3|13 pages
The Milky Way
A Goldilocks Galaxy

Chapter 4|13 pages
The Galactic Cradle

Chapter 5|27 pages
The Inimitable Earth

Part Part II|175 pages
The Emergence of Life From a Lifeless World

Chapter 6|27 pages
Let There Be Life
The Rise of the Prokaryotes

Chapter 7|26 pages
Evolution
The Generator of Life’s Diversity

Chapter 8|19 pages
The Rise of the Superkingdoms
Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

Chapter 9|12 pages
Partnering Up
The Journey From Single-Cell Eukaryotes to Multicellular Animals

Chapter 10|21 pages
The Blossoming of Terrestrial Life

Chapter 11|18 pages
The Emergence of the Genus Homo
Earth’s First Humans Come Into Being

Chapter 12|25 pages
The Genesis of Behaviorally Modern Homo sapiens
A Cognitively Advanced Human That Can Reflect Upon Its Existence
(Available for free download; please click here.)

Chapter 13|21 pages
The Future of Life on Earth
Abstract

International-Big History-Association is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: A Most Improbable Story: The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind
Time: Aug 17, 2022 10:00 Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81260036126?pwd=NTRHVEF0Y3ROSG5Yb0l5YXpscEw2Zz09

Steven Theroux’s Publications & Editorships

cancer biology genetics molecular biology

The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind


TITLE	CITED BY	YEAR
The epidermal growth factor receptor is covalently linked to ubiquitin. Z Galcheva-Gargova, SJ Theroux, RJ Davis Oncogene 11 (12), 2649-2655	166	1995
Spinal muscular atrophy disrupts the interaction of ZPR1 with the SMN protein L Gangwani, M Mikrut, S Theroux, M Sharma, RJ Davis Nature cell biology 3 (4), 376-383	146	2001
Signaling crossroads: the function of Raf kinase inhibitory protein in cancer, the central nervous system and reproduction J Klysik, SJ Theroux, JM Sedivy, JS Moffit, K Boekelheide Cellular signalling 20 (1), 1-9	132	2008
The cytoplasmic zinc finger protein ZPR1 accumulates in the nucleolus of proliferating cells Z Galcheva-Gargova, L Gangwani, KN Konstantinov, M Mikrut, … Molecular biology of the cell 9 (10), 2963-2971	89	1998
Raf kinase inhibitory protein knockout mice: expression in the brain and olfaction deficit S Theroux, M Pereira, KS Casten, RD Burwell, KC Yeung, JM Sedivy, … Brain research bulletin 71 (6), 559-567	65	2007
Signal transduction by the epidermal growth factor receptor is attenuated by a COOH-terminal domain serine phosphorylation site. SJ Theroux, DA Latour, K Stanley, DL Raden, RJ Davis Journal of Biological Chemistry 267 (23), 16620-16626	53	1992
Gene encoding the 5.7-kilodalton chlorosome protein of Chloroflexus aurantiacus: regulated message levels and a predicted carboxy-terminal protein extension SJ Theroux, TE Redlinger, RC Fuller, SJ Robinson Journal of bacteriology 172 (8), 4497-4504	42	1990
Increased oncogenic potential of ErbB is associated with the loss of a COOH-terminal domain serine phosphorylation site. SJ Theroux, C Taglienti-Sian, N Nair, JL Countaway, HL Robinson, … Journal of Biological Chemistry 267 (12), 7967-7970	30	1992
Mutational removal of the major site of serine phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor causes potentiation of signal transduction: role of receptor down-regulation. SJ Theroux, K Stanley, DA Campbell, RJ Davis Molecular Endocrinology 6 (11), 1849-1857	29	1992
Rapid screening of cloned DNA fragments for specific mutations. SJ Theroux, RJ Davis Nucleic acids research 20 (4), 915	5	1992
Protein-tyrosine kinase activity of alternate protien products of the Drosophila Dsrc28C locus SJ Theroux, SC Wadsworth FEBS letters 311 (1), 1-6	3	1992
Assembly of Chlorosomes during Photosynthetic Development in Chloroflexus aurantiacus TE Redlinger, SJ Theroux, DL Driscoll, SJ Robinson, RC Fuller Molecular Biology of Membrane-Bound Complexes in Phototrophic Bacteria, 275-284	2	1990
The Genesis of Behaviorally Modern Homo sapiens: A Cognitively Advanced Human That Can Reflect Upon Its Existence SJ Theroux A Most Improbable Story		2023
A Most Improbable Story: The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind SJ Theroux CRC Press		2022

Grants and Awards

NIH Academic Research Enhancement Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to study the Regulation of the EGF-Receptor

Nominated by Assumption College for the 2011 Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching U.S. Professor of the Year Award.

2013 Assumption College President’s Award for Excellence in Service

Outstanding Mentoring of Students by Junior Faculty, Assumption College, 1998

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