DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic nonfiction for adults and children. DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and in 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Toronto. DK's aim is to inform, enrich, and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products. Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery, and parenting. DK's extensive children's list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers, and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the bestselling LEGO(R) books. DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot's Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher, Rough Guides.

David Christian is the founder of Big History. He is also a distinguished professor at Macquarie University, cofounder, with Bill Gates, of the Big History Project, presenter of one of the 11 classic TED Talks with more than 6 million views, and instructor in the world's first Big History massive open online course (MOOC) on Coursera. David has given hundreds of presentations internationally, including at the Davos World Economic Forum in 2012, 2014, and 2015. He is a member of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities, and a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Global History and the Cambridge World History.