25 Aug The Big Bang Theory and the Evolution of the Universe
Origins of the Universe
The Big Bang Theory and the Evolution of the Universe
The Big Bang Theory posits that the universe began as a hot, infinitely dense point that exploded 13.7 billion years ago, creating all matter, energy, space, and time. The universe’s evolution is defined by two eras: the radiation era and the matter era. During the radiation era, protons and neutrons underwent a significant change, creating the first chemical element, helium. This queued the matter era, during which the universe formed other elements, becoming the building blocks of matter.
The universe features three epochs: the atomic epoch, the stellar epoch, and the planetary epoch. During the atomic epoch, electrons attached to nuclei for the first time. During the stellar epoch, stars began to form, causing a ripple effect that shaped the universe. Heat within the stars caused the conversion of hydrogen and helium into almost all the remaining elements in the universe, which became the building blocks for planets, moons, life, and everything we see today.
