How cosmology reveals the universe's history

Cosmology is the study of the nature of the universe, including its history, structure, dynamics, fate and governing physical laws. The lessons answer how evidence helps reveal the universe's history, building an understanding of how observations support accounts of cosmic change. They connect different kinds of evidence to the broader story of the universe.

3 articles, 1 book · about 36 min of reading and viewing

The reading path

1. Read
   

   cosmology · Wikipedia · 13 min read

   The origins of ancient Greek cosmology, according to historian of philosophy Charles Kahn, lie with Anaximander. Religious or mythological cosmology draws on beliefs in mythological, religious, and esoteric literature and traditions of creation and eschatology. Scientific cosmology is generally grounded in empirical evidence and observations, while religious and mythological cosmology relies on persuasive arguments by prophets, philosophers, or mathematicians.

2. Read
   

   Shadows in the Big Bang Afterglow Reveal Invisible Cosmic Structures | Quanta Magazine · Quanta Magazine · 6 min read

   Cosmology's cosmic microwave background began as radiation embedded in the primordial plasma; nearly 400,000 years after the Big Bang, cooling let the first atoms coalesce and the radiation soar free. It still streams through the sky in all directions, broadcasting a snapshot of the early universe.

3. Read
   

   Can cosmology untangle the universe's most elusive mysteries? · Astronomy Magazine · 17 min read

   Cosmology's standard model rests on three observational pillars: light-element creation in a hot Big Bang, the universe's expansion and microwave background radiation. By the 1960s, calculations showed that the reactions produced mostly hydrogen and about 25 percent helium by weight, exactly what astronomers observed, plus a little deuterium, helium-3 and lithium.

4. Book
   

   Cosmos · Bookshop.org

   Cosmos by Carl Sagan describes fifteen billion years of cosmic evolution transforming matter into life and consciousness, enabling the Cosmos to wonder about itself.

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