PREFACE 11
CHAPTER 1: ENDINGS ARE PERSONAL 17
That's All Folks
18
Everything Has Its Time
25
End of the Line
33
CHAPTER 2: ALL GOOD THINGS MUST PASS 41
The Reaper's Scythe
42
Beating the Odds
50
Dust to Dust
56
CHAPTER 3: THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY 65
The Fate of Species
67
Our Own Worst Enemy
79
CHAPTER 4: BEYOND NATURAL SELECTION 90
Endpoints of Evolution
91
Beyond Biology
102
CHAPTER 5: THE WEB OF LIFE 110
The Restless Earth
112
Gaia
124
CHAPTER 6: THREATS TO THE BIOSPHERE 134
A Hard Rain
136
Saving the Planet
142
Life Is Viral
149
CHAPTER 7: LIVING IN A SOLAR SYSTEM 157
Pale Blue Dots
158
Life Beyond Earth
166
Threats from Beyond
172
CHAPTER 8: THE SUN'S DEMISE 181
Living with a Star
183
Moving Off-Earth
192
CHAPTER 9: OUR GALACTIC HABITAT 203
Once and Future Stars
205
Mergers and Acquisitions
218
CHAPTER 10: AGING OF THE MILKY WAY 227
Fade to Black
229
Childhood's End
238
CHAPTER 11: HOW THE UNIVERSE ENDS 248
Something from Nothing
249
How It All Ends
261
CHAPTER 12: BEYOND ENDINGS 271
Living in the Multiverse
273
From Endings to Meaning
280
GLOSSARY 291
NOTES 301
READING LIST 325
CREDITS 329
INDEX 331