1. Exploring the Universe
How did the universe begin and how did it come to be in its present state? What is "The Big Bang"? How do the different observations explain the origins of the universe? How does the universe continue to expand today?

To find answers to these questions, follow the recommended links at below and take a ride back in time, forward into the future, and around the cosmos to explore the past, present, and ultimate fate of our universe.

Consider This Before Answering the Questions
Perhaps none of us will travel in outer space and explore the universe first-hand, but we can get a glimpse from our own computers. So, let's take a ride back in time, forward into the future, and around the cosmos to explore the past, present, and ultimate fate of our universe.

• Go to http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Cosmos/CosmosCompHome.html to begin the journey.
• Before starting, see if you can answer the five questions that are posed.
• Then, before the tour begins, you might want to link to the QuickTime movie (not quite so quick in loading, though).
• Now we can begin our space sojourn by clicking on the "Cosmic Mystery Tour" to see how the universe began and how it came to be in its present state.
• As you go, take notes on terms, such as "cosmology," "the big bang," "symmetry breaking," etc. Also, to get the full impact of the trip, be sure to click on the graphics throughout.
• After examining the timeline, click on "In the Beginning" to go back to what most scientists believe is the origins of our universe. (After that, the easiest way to navigate this site is to scroll down to the bottom and hit the "Forward..." links so you move to the next page.) Be sure to play the QuickTime movie for "Separation of Forces," then see if you can explain the move from equilibrium through phase transition, and ultimately into "inflation."
• Move on to "Quark Soup" and play the movie there. What is this composed of? What happened during the Grand Unification Epoch? What in the world are hadrons and baryons, antibaryons, mesons, and antimesons, and what do they do? How did the universe age during this "quarky" period, and how did that prepare it for the universe we experience today?
• As you move into the "Big Freeze Out," try to explain the first atomic nuclei, and describe the repeating cycles of starbirth and death.
• Move on to the section "Parting Company" and describe the processes that took place-how long did the era of recombination last?
• We can now go to the birth of our galaxy (and others): when were the first galaxies and their stars born? Check out the Galaxy Nurseries to get a sense of what scientists see using the Hubble telescope. What have they concluded about the age of the universe?
• So, here we are at the modern universe of today-try to answer the questions that are posed.
• Finally, look at "Our Hierarchical Universe" http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Cosmos/HierarchUni.html to see what we have learned about the hierarchy of structure and motion, and how cosmologists are actually looking back in time, detecting signals that took billions of years to reach us.

After You Answer the Questions
After reading the last section on "Our Hierarchical Universe" do you have any hypotheses of your own? Be brave enough to dream.

2. Black Holes Aren't Just a Matter for Science Fiction
Just what are black holes? Why are they called "black" holes? Why study them? How do they form? What are they made of? Where do they begin and end?

Visit the recommended links to explore answers to these questions.

Consider This Before Answering the Questions
Growing up on Star Trek and other sci-fi fare fired the imaginations of many of your professors (and, maybe, you yourself) to think about what lies beyond our earthbound atmosphere. Black holes seemed like the figment of writers' imaginations, but (as so often happens with science fiction) we now find that they really exist.

• Go to http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/NumRel/BlackHoles.html to learn more about them and start your exploration.
• Move through these sessions by scrolling down to the "Forward..." arrows after you've finished reading and linking, use your "Back" buttons to navigate links, and be sure to click on the graphics because they will expand and provide more information.
• What are white dwarfs, neutron stars, and supernovae?
• What is a black hole made of? Where does it begin? Where does it end?
• Move on to the Anatomy of a Black Hole to find the answers.
• From navigating through this section, you should be able to discuss the event horizon, apparent event horizons, singularity, the limits of physical law, and cosmic censorship, but more fun than merely explaining these ideas is to take the trip into a black hole-what did you find there, what did you experience?
• If scientists can't really see beyond the event horizon, how can we really learn about them? Move on to "When a Black Hole Forms" to learn some of the secrets. What did Einstein say about stationary black holes?
• Finally, proceed to "How Can We See Black Holes?" and describe how, if we really can't see them, we can nonetheless learn about them.

After You Answer the Questions
Do you think that we will be able to detect black holes in our lifetime? What do you think we would find? Another good web site to review for frequently asked questions on black holes is http://cosmology.berkeley.edu/Education/BHfaq.html#top.