Delve deep into the mysteries of the universe and let this book take you on a journey from the start of the universe at the Big Bang to furthest reaches of the universe observable to man. Somewhere between theory and mystery, learn about all the near-magical bodies of the universe, covering supermassive black holes, neutron stars, hypernovas, wormholes and nebulas. Featuring: In the beginning - Learn more about how the universe came to be, and what we can learn from the theories behind the Big Bang Theory Secrets of the universe - Marvel at the most beautiful and mysterious sights in the universe Space science - Meet the scientists that mean to answer some of the universe's greatest questions, and learn more about the theories behind the cosmic components that make up space
In the beginning • How the universe and everything in it came to exist
Birth of the UNIVERSE • We speak to the scientists who explore the science and seek the answers to how our universe began
How it all began
Seeing the start • Astrophysicist Richard Davis explains how we measured the Big Bang
How it will end • There are thought to be three possible ways the universe will end. One is the Big Crunch, where gravity takes over and compresses it to one point. Another is the Big Rip, where the expansion of the universe gets faster until galaxies, stars, planets and space itself is torn apart. Then somewhere between these extremes is the likely scenario where the universe’s expansion is not great enough for a Big Rip and gravity is not strong enough for a Big Crunch. Instead the universe will continue to expand, growing cold and lifeless – the Big Freeze.
Re-creating the Big Bang • Professor of high energy physics David Evans is making baby universes
Missing pieces • It might be the king of theories when it comes to explaining the birth of the universe, but the Big Bang theory still hits a few snags.
Observing the aftermath • Astronomer Dan Coe is looking at the Big Bang’s deep space consequences
Big Bang: not just a theory • It’s the biggest announcement in science since the Higgs Boson: We speak to one of the founders of the project that recently confirmed the Big Bang theory of cosmic inflation
HOW PLANETS FORM • Discover how our home, along with our Solar System neighbours and every other planet in the universe, was born from a chaotic cloud of dust and gas
Origins of a solar system
Types of planets
Planet formation in action
Discovering a protoplanet • Dr Simon Casassus of the University of Chile talks us through fascinating images of a protoplanetary disc in action more than 450 light years away
Creating a GALAXY • The making of these billion-star structures has been puzzling astronomers for decades. We put together the pieces for building a galaxy
Galactic evolution • How their different sizes can affect how galaxies form
Lighthouse of the cosmos • Quasars blaze radiation that can be seen from the other side of space
Secrets of the universe • Uncover the most intriguing aspects of our universe
100 wonders of space • From giant craters to supermassive black holes and alien planets: explore our favourite parts of the cosmos
EDGE of the UNIVERSE • What strange and familiar phenomena can we see at the limit of our most powerful telescopes?
Towards the edge
Observing the edge
Beyond the edge • The observable cosmos might mark the edge of what we can see, but it’s not the edge of everything – the universe stretches away far beyond what we can see, into invisible and undetectable realms
10 BIGGEST THINGS IN SPACE • Walk with us across the staggering enormity of space and witness gigantic asteroids through to mammoth stars, sprawling galaxies and the...
