Starts With A Bang

A dense starfield, with various colored stars shimmering through a dark cloud-like formation, lies against a deep black background in the mysterious zone of avoidance.
The Universe is out there, waiting to be discovered

Our mission is to answer the biggest questions of all, scientifically.

What is the Universe made of? How did it become the way it is today? Where did everything come from? What is the ultimate fate of the cosmos?

For most of human history, these questions had no clear answers. Today, they do. Starts With a Bang, written by Dr. Ethan Siegel, explores what we know about the universe and how we came to know it, bringing the latest discoveries in cosmology and astrophysics directly to you.

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Ethan Siegel is an award-winning PhD astrophysicist and the author of four books, including The Grand Cosmic Story, published by National Geographic.

Full Profile
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Ethan Siegel

solar system model
A tilted spiral galaxy gracefully tipped towards the viewer reveals a bright core and dark, dusty rings, set against the infinity of deep blue space.
When we see spiral galaxies, some are face-on, others are edge-on, but most are tipped at an angle. But which side is closest to us?
Composite image of spiral galaxy NGC 300. Left: wide view with area highlighted. Right: close-up of highlighted area. Bottom: magnified star field view. NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team.
The tiniest galaxies of all are the most susceptible to violence by their larger, bullying siblings. That's why we need them in isolation.
A vivid image of a bright, colorful galaxy with swirling red, blue, and white clouds of gas and dust, where galaxies collide amid distant stars in the dark, expanding universe.
The Universe is expanding, and individual, bound structures are all receding away from one another. How, then, are galaxies still colliding?
A red star is at the center, with five orbiting paths marked by yellow dots, resembling exoplanets around the nearest single star, set against a starry night backdrop that illustrates a planetary system.
Barnard's star, the closest singlet star system to ours, has long been a target for planet-hunters. We've finally confirmed it: they exist!
A group of five men in suits pose with model rockets, showcasing their commitment to fundamental research. Beside them, an illustration depicts a space station orbiting Earth and the Moon, highlighting their visionary investment in space exploration.
Back in 1970, Sister Mary Jucunda wrote NASA, decrying large investments in science. A former Nazi's legendary response is still relevant.
Text "Cosmic Origins" over a bright, colorful explosion effect with star-like patterns in the background.
Since the dawn of history, humans have pondered our ultimate cosmic origins. Now in the 21st century, science has gone beyond the Big Bang.
Illustration shows a supermassive black hole with a captured star and hypervelocity star, near the Large Magellanic Cloud, with double star orbits labeled. Earth is visible in the foreground.
Just 165,000 light-years away, the Large Magellanic Cloud is suspected to house a supermassive black hole. At last, evidence has arrived.