Cosmology is the study of the Universe as a whole. It seeks to understand where everything came from, how the cosmos has evolved over billions of years, what it is made of, and what its ultimate fate may be.
From the first fraction of a second after the Big Bang to the vast web of galaxies stretching across billions of light-years, cosmology explores the grandest story ever told. It combines astronomy, physics and mathematics to reveal how space, time, matter and energy have shaped the Universe we observe today.
Many of the questions explored by cosmology are among the oldest humanity has ever asked. How did the Universe begin? Why does it look the way it does? What is dark matter? What is dark energy? Will the Universe continue expanding forever, or will its story one day come to an end?
The essays in this section examine these questions one by one. Together they provide an accessible journey through modern cosmology, from the first stars and the cosmic microwave background to the search for a theory that unites all the laws of nature.
Every new discovery brings us a little closer to understanding the Universe. Yet every answer also reveals new mysteries, reminding us that the greatest adventure in science is far from over.