"Scientists tell us our solar system is 4-5 billion years old. But how can they determine the ages of things that formed so long ago? In The Age of Everything, Matthew Hedman lays bare the tricks of the scientist's trade: the interdisciplinary studies of the Great Pyramids of Egypt that shed light on when and how these incredible structures were built, the analysis of the remains of humble trees that illuminates how the surface of the sun has changed over the past ten millennia, and how rocks that fall from the sky, light from distant stars, and even static on television sets help determine the ages of the earth, solar system, and universe." "Covering a wide range of timescales, from the Big Bang to human history, The Age of Everything helps bring the distant past closer to us than it has ever been. Hedman's book is a provocative and far-ranging look at how science has determined the age of everything from modern mammals to the oldest stars, and will be indispensable for all armchair time travelers."--Jacket.