This ... book presents evidence that our true origins are not just human, or even terrestrial, but actually cosmic. [The book] takes us on a ... tour of today's new cosmic science and its stunning insights into the formation and evolution of the universe and all its structures - galaxies and galaxy clusters, stars within galaxies, planets that orbit those stars, and different forms of life on Earth and hits of life beyond. [This book] charts our ongoing quest to understand how our particular part of the universe spawned life, and if indeed life is unique to us ... Drawing on current cross-pollination among geology, biology, astrophysics, and cosmology, [this book] explains the soul-stirring leaps in our understanding of the universe while capturing the importance of such extraordinary events as the first image of a galaxy being born and the exploration of Martian frontiers by Spirit Rover.;A meditation on the origins of science and the science of origins -- The greatest story ever told -- The origin of the universe: In the beginning; Antimatter matters; Let there be light; Let there be dark; Let there be more dark; One universe or many? -- The origin of galaxies and cosmic structure: Discovering galaxies; The origin of structure -- The origin of the stars: Dust to dust; The elemental zoo -- The origin of planets: When worlds were young; Between the planets; Worlds unnumbered, planets beyond the solar system -- The origin of life: Life in the universe; The origin of life on Earth; Searching for life in the solar system; Searching for life in the Milky Way galaxy -- The search for ourselves in the cosmos -- Glossary of selected terms.