An artist's view of the "big bang" theory of the origin of the Universe.
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Image courtesy of LAPP, Particle Physics Laboratory at Annecy-le-Vieux, France

The Big Bang

All of the matter and energy in the Universe was initially found in a very small space. An explosion happened which caused the Universe to begin expanding.

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Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA