A History of the Universe in 100 Objects
Unlike other fictional universes, the Doctor Who universe is created solely by fiction. To us, this is not a valid source. Information from this source can only be used in "behind the scenes" sections, or on pages about real world topics.
A History of the Universe in 100 Objects was a reference book by James Goss and Steve Tribe. It gave a sideways look at nearly fifty years of Doctor Who, from "An Unearthly Child" airing in 1963 to The Wedding of River Song in 2011.
Publisher's summary
Every object tells a story. From ancient urns and medieval flasks to sonic screwdrivers and glass Daleks, these 100 objects tell the story of the entire universe, and the most important man in it: the Doctor.
Each item has a unique tale of its own, whether it’s a fob watch at the onset of the Great War or a carrot growing on the first human colony on Mars. Taken together, they tell of empires rising and falling, wars won and lost, and planets destroyed and reborn.
Within these pages lie hidden histories of Time Lords and [[Dalek]s, the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, the plot to steal the Mona Lisa and the story of Shakespeare’s lost play. You’ll find illustrated guides to invisible creatures, the secret origins of the internet, and how to speak Mechonoid.
A History of the Universe in 100 Objects is an indispensible [sic] guide to the most important items that have ever existed, or that are yet to exist.
Notable features
- Lavishly illustrated throughoutwith photographs and original illustrations provided by Peter McKinstry
- This BBC title was a hardbound book with a foil laminated dust jacket and priced £20 (UK)
Contents
One hundred objects, are fully illustrated and are each given their own feature over two or three pages (except 'carrots' which only manages a single page), and their significance and connections to the Doctor Who universe are examined with accompanying boxed in-features and lists.
The objects are listed in chronological order. Each page includes a subtitle for the era the object is relevant towards.
- Urns of Krop Tor (Before Time)
- Tegan Jovanka's Lipstick (Event One: The Big Bang)
- The Key to Time (The Dawn of Time)
- The Dark Tower (The Dark Times)
- Racnoss Webstar (The Creation of Earth)
- Jagaroth Spaceship (400,000,000 BC)
- The Hand of Eldrad (150,000,000 BC)
- A Badge For Mathematical Excellence (65,000,000 BC)
- Fendahl Skull (12,000,000 BC)
- The Doctor's Pipe (100,000 BC)
- Pyramids (5000-2650 BC)
- The Trojan Horse (1184 BC)
- Stonehenge (AD 102)
- The Pandorica (AD 102)
- Fenic's Flask (3rd century)
- The Loch Ness Monster (12th century)
- Sontaran Scout Ship (13th century)
- Mark I Travel Machine (C.1450)
- The Mona Lisa (1505)
- A Cup of Cocoa (C.1507)
- The Doctor's Scarf (16th century)
- 'Love's Labour's Won' Manuscript (1599)
- Koh-i-Noor (1879)
- The Cream of Scotland Yard (1883)
- The Peking Homunculus (C.1890)
- The Chameleon Arch (1913)
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)
- Yeti Control Sphere (C.1930)
- Gas Mask (1941)
- Ironside (1941)
- A Christmas Tree (1941)
- The Ultima Machine (1943)
- Television (1953)
- Sink Plunger (C.1963)
- The Mark III Travel Machine (C.1963)
- Special Weapons Dalek (1963)
- The Internet (1966)
- Spacesuit (1969)
- The Moon (1969)
- Shop Dummy (1970s)
- Tissue Compression Eliminator (1970s)
- Axonite (1970s)
- UNIT HQ Sign (TOP SECRET)
- Giant Maggot (1970s)
- BOSS (1970s)
- Metebelis Crystal (1970s)
- Guy Crayford's Eyepatch (1970s)
- Krynoid Seedpod (1970s)
- Radio Telescope (1981)
- Mondas (1986)
- Excalibur (C.1997)
- The TARDIS (1999)
- The Artefacts of Rassilon (THIS is the game of Rassilon)
- Big Ben (2006)
- The Doctor's Hand (2006)
- Cyberman (2007)
- Genesis Ark (2007)
- Weeping Angel (2007)
- DVD (2007)
- The Valiant (2008)
- Adipose (2009)
- The 200 to Victoria (2010)
- Gallifrey (2010)
- Time Engine (2010)
- Fez (2010)
- Teselecta (2011)
- Sonic Screwdriver (2011)
- Cybermat (2007) [sic]
- Hairdryer (2012)
- Bowie Base One (2058)
- Carrots (2059)
- Milo Clancey's Toaster (22nd century)
- Emergency Regulations Poster (C.2167)
- Mechonoid [sic] (C.2265)
- Marsh Minnow (C.2285-2379)
- Cyber Tombs (C.25th century)
- The Lost Moon of Poosh (27th century)
- Snake Tattoo (C.28th century)
- Sandminer Robot (C.29th century)
- A Door (C.32nd century)
- Starship UK (3295)
- Dynatrope (Mid Fourth Millennium)
- Aggedor (C.3885-3935)
- Time Destructor (4000)
- Dalek Emperor (41st century)
- Ood Brain (4126)
- Glass Dalek (47th century)
- The Hand of Omega (47th century)
- K-9 (5000)
- Psychic Paper (51st century)
- Sonic Blaster (51st century)
- Diary (52nd century)
- Janis Thorn (Far future)
- Money-Pencil (200,000)
- Bad Wolf (200,100)
- L3 Robot (c.2,000,000)
- Space Station (Outside Time)
- Statue of a Monoid (57th Segment of Time)
- The Face of Boe (5,000,000,000)
- Toclafane (100,000,000,000,000)
Notes
- Genesis of the Daleks is dated to 1450, a year first given in The Dalek Handbook
- Planet of the Dead and The End of Time are dated to 2010 instead of the more commonly accepted 2009.
- Closing Time is dated to 2007, although this seems to be an error as it is between entries for 2011 and 2012.
- The Chase is dated to 2265, a year first given in The Dalek Handbook.
- Vengeance on Varos is dated to 2285, a year first given in AHistory.
- State of Decay is dated to 32nd century. The novel Lucifer Rising establishes that the Hydrax disappeared in the 2120s. The ship is said to have stood as a castle for a thousand years in State of Decay.
- Midnight is dated to the 27th century, a date first given in The Time Traveller's Almanac.
- The Robots of Death is dated to the 29th century. A History of the Universe and the first two editions of AHistory arbitrarily place the story in 2877, but the third edition redates it to 2881, based on evidence from the Kaldor City audio series.
- The Hand of Omega is dated to the 47th century. The Doctor and Susan were originally from this century in "The Pilot Episode".
External links
- Official A History of the Universe in 100 Objects page at Penguin Books
