How did the universe begin? What is Earth's birth date? When
did life emerge on our planet, and what did it look like? To
tackle these enormous questions, origins researchers search
for tiny and elusive clues: microscopic organisms, fragments
of rock, and faint whispers of light from the far reaches of
space. Often they must venture to some of the world's most
inhospitable places to do so.
On our global map, see if you can find where origins
researchers have made—and in many cases will continue to
make—many of the most important origins-related
discoveries of our time. To launch the
interactive, click on
the image at left.—Susan K. Lewis
