This episode investigates the colossal Big Bang—the beginning of our universe—and the forces that made it possible for habitable worlds to emerge.

The resources below provide supplementary articles and media on theories and evidence of the Big Bang, and the physical nature of the elements that emerged from it.

		Georges Lemaître, Father of the Big Bang Article for grades 9 through 12 When a Catholic priest—cosmologist first proposed that the universe began as a "primeval atom," it seemed preposterous. Yet, within a few years, his theory had helped revolutionize cosmology.
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		Cosmic Microwave Background: The New Cosmology Article for grades 9 through 12 Take a trip back through 14 billion years of time and space to view the Cosmic Microwave Background—the vast curtain of energy left over from the Big Bang.
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		The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Article for grades 9 through 12 At this distance in time and space, can we prove that the universe was created with a single explosion? See how scientists have detected a faint remnant glow that supports the Big Bang theory.
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		What's the Composition of the Universe? Activity for grades 9 through 12 Can the universe be contained in colored sprinkles? Find out by using confetti or sprinkles to create samples that show the abundance of elements in different substances found in the universe.
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		Cosmic Chemistry Article for grades 3 through 12 What happened after the Big Bang? This comic strip explains the interactions that lead to the creation of stars, planetary nebulas, and supernovas.
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		Neutrino Observatories Article for grades 9 through 12 Update your image of astronomers. Today they spend most of their time peering into computer screens rather than through the eyepiece of a telescope. Learn what this new vantage point has gained them.
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		Cecilia Payne and the Composition of the Stars Article for grades 9 through 12 What are the stars made of? At 25, Cecilia Payne answered this fundamental question in her Ph.D. thesis. Her pioneering work also made it possible to read a star's surface temperature.
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		How the Sun Works Activity for grades 9 through 12 Talk about a long-term power source. For billions and billions of years, the Sun has been giving off energy that equals 4 x 1026 watts. What keeps the Sun burning so bright?
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		The Abundance of Elements in the Sun Activity for grades 9 through 12 What’s the universe made of? Scientists tackle this puzzle by studying the composition of the different objects contained in the universe. In this activity the object is the Sun, and the tools are the periodic table and a graph.
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		Journey to a Black Hole Article for grades 6 through 12 If you could take a trip to a black hole, would you? Before you answer, take a peek at what you'd encounter. The trip certainly would qualify as adventure travel!
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		John Michell and Black Holes Article for grades 9 through 12 Imagine gravity so strong that even light is contained by its force. When a country parson first described black holes in 1783, the concept was so ahead of its time that it was mostly ignored.
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		Olber's Paradox: Why Is The Sky Dark at Night? Article for grades 9 through 12 In the midst of a forest, all you can see is a wall of tree trunks. So why, then, don't we see a wall of starlight when we look up at the forest of stars in the night sky?
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		Vera Rubin and Dark Matter Article for grades 9 through 12 For every visible star in the observable universe, there are nine masses that are invisible and unidentified. Learn more about the astronomer who proved the existence of dark matter.
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