Earth's Origin (05:13)

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Space exploration ushered in humanity's quest for understanding the origins of the universe. Moon rocks collected during Apollo 14 gave evidence of the origins of the Moon and Earth. Theia collided with Earth 4.5 million years ago, creating the Moon and the final stage of Earth's creation.

Space Exploration (03:54)

Each mission gives new answers on how the solar system formed. Exploring the Milky Way is difficult, but new technology pushes the boundaries. The Kepler space telescope revealed the variety of planets and stars and the age of the Milky Way.

Hubble Space Telescope (07:22)

Light travels at 186,000 miles a second and is a powerful tool in determining the age of the universe. Hubble has revealed galaxies 300 million light-years away.

First Galaxies (06:00)

Hubble found galaxies much older than scientists theorized. At the edge of what it can see, Hubble discovered GN-z11, which is 13.4 billion-years-old.

White Dwarves (07:39)

The oldest parts of the universe are in the cosmic dark ages and cannot be seen. Studying light from white dwarves provides clues to the origins of the universe. Hubble captured NGC 2525 as it detonated from a thermonuclear reaction and became a type 1a supernova.

Type 1a Supernovae (03:11)

All supernovas burn at the same brightness, allowing researchers to measure their distance and revealing how the universe has changed over time. Light changes as it travels and shows how fast the universe is expanding.

Big Bang (04:26)

Using the type 1a supernovae and images captured by Hubble, scientists can see what the universe was like 13.8 billion years ago. The Planck telescope has been launched to look for the remains of the Big Bang.

Planck Telescope (04:43)

The European Space Agency's telescope mapped the further parts of the universe. It captured the aftermath of the Big Bang.

Creation of the Universe (07:12)

Planck's images revealed that the Big Bang was not the start of the universe. Prior to the event was a field of energy that had quantum fluctuations. The fluctuations created the universe through inflation.

Credits: "Big Bang—NOVA: Universe Revealed" (01:11)

Credits: "Big Bang—NOVA: Universe Revealed"