Our exhibit in a nutshell

Using cosmic rulers we measure distances out to the edge of the Universe and weigh its ingredients on cosmic scales. This unravels the origin, evolution, and destiny of our Universe.

Scientific background and contents

How did the Universe begin? What is it made of? Everyone has looked at the night sky wondering what is out there, and since prehistoric times humankind has sought to understand the complexities of what we see. Studying the Universe is the only way to know where we come from and where we are journeying to on the grandest scales.

Today we are entering a golden age for astronomy. The advent of the biggest telescopes, coupled with the most powerful computers, enables us to look deeper and wider than ever before. This has resulted in the most precise constraints on the crucial numbers which govern the Universe. However, this increase in knowledge has raised even more questions, none more mystifying than the existence of an unexplained form of dark energy making up two thirds of the Universe. To compound matters, we still do not fully understand the nature of a further quarter of the Universe, comprised of the elusive dark matter.

Our research, and this exhibit, focuses on determining the exact constituents of the Universe and how they evolved through cosmic time to form the complex variety of celestial objects we see today. We will interactively show the tools and methods which astronomers use to study the ever changing Universe.

Our cosmic menu will bring to life the ingredients and recipe which turned the primordial soup of the Big Bang into the cosmic pancakes of the galactic structures we see today. We will show how professional astronomers explore the distant reaches of the Cosmos and make cutting edge research accessible to all. This will appeal to the curious, motivate students to pursue science to a higher level, and satisfy a much felt desire to understand the mysteries of the Universe.

A hands-on experience

Interactivity is the key element of our exhibit, enabling the public to discover the grand recipe of the Universe: its different constituents, how we measure them and how their mix affects what we see. Hands-on displays will include user-controlled computer simulations allowing people to create their own recipe for the Universe by mixing ingredients at the beginning of time; hands-on devices demonstrating how cosmic scales and rulers can be used to make dark matter visible, weigh black holes and expose the mysterious dark energy.

Everybody is invited

Physics is often looked upon as a difficult subject to comprehend. Our aim is to overcome this widely held belief by introducing the public to physics through some of the most exciting topics in modern astronomy and cosmology. To provide a long-lasting experience we will produce "goodie-bags" containing a CD of the computer simulation on display and a variety of further material including a "cookbook" detailing the recipe of the Universe and providing further information on the science on show. We foresee these being of particular benefit to teachers and students.