Universe Timeline

By ShyLusco
  • 1 BCE

    The Heat Death of the Universe (Far Future, ~10^100 years from now)

    The Heat Death of the Universe (Far Future, ~10^100 years from now)
    The universe reaches a state of maximum entropy. The universe will ultimately cease the formation of new stars as its resources deplete. All matter will either decay or transform into black holes, while the universe keeps expanding. In the end, the universe will be comprised solely of low-energy photons and neutrinos, resulting in a condition of pure energy.
  • 1 BCE

    The Big Bang (Time=0)

    The Big Bang (Time=0)
    The universe begins from an incredibly hot, dense point. All matter, energy, and space are contained in a singularity, which expands and cools. This marks the start of space and time.
  • 1 BCE

    The Planck Era (~10^-43 seconds after the Big Bang)

    The Planck Era (~10^-43 seconds after the Big Bang)
    The universe is governed by a single superforce. In this initial stage, all four fundamental forces (gravity, electromagnetism, and the two nuclear forces) come together as a single force. Our comprehension of physics falters at this point because of the extreme conditions.
  • 1 BCE

    Inflationary Epoch (10^-36 to 10^-32 seconds after the Big Bang)

    Inflationary Epoch (10^-36 to 10^-32 seconds after the Big Bang)
    The universe goes through rapid inflation. The universe is expanding at an extraordinary rate, growing in size by 100 trillion trillion times within an incredibly short period. This swift expansion evens out the cosmos, paving the way for the emergence of matter and structural formation.
  • 1 BCE

    Quark Epoch (10^-12 to 10^-6 seconds after the Big Bang)

    Quark Epoch (10^-12 to 10^-6 seconds after the Big Bang)
    A hot, dense plasma is formed from Quarks and gluons. The temperature of the universe remains too high for protons and neutrons to come together. Instead, quarks and gluons are present as free particles, engaging in collisions and interactions within a super-hot, dense plasma.
  • 1 BCE

    Hadron Epoch (10^-6 seconds to 1 second after the Big Bang)

    Hadron Epoch (10^-6 seconds to 1 second after the Big Bang)
    Protons and Neutrons are formed when Quarks combine. As the universe continues to cool down, quarks and gluons come together to create protons and neutrons. The initial atomic nuclei start to come into existence, but the universe remains too hot for atoms to stay together.
  • 1 BCE

    Lepton Epoch (1 second to 3 minutes after the Big Bang)

    Lepton Epoch (1 second to 3 minutes after the Big Bang)
    The universe is populated with electrons and neutrinos. The universe is experiencing a cooling phase, with electrons and neutrinos becoming the predominant particles. In this era, nuclear fusion takes place, resulting in the creation of the lightest elements such as deuterium (a variant of hydrogen) and helium.
  • 1 BCE

    Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (First 20 minutes after the Big Bang)

    Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (First 20 minutes after the Big Bang)
    Light elements are synthesized. Fusion in the first minutes forms hydrogen, helium, and trace amounts of lithium. After about 20 minutes, fusion stops as the universe continues cooling, leaving the elemental composition of the universe mostly in hydrogen and helium.
  • 1 BCE

    Recombination (About 380,000 years after the Big Bang)

    Recombination (About 380,000 years after the Big Bang)
    Neutral atoms are formed when electrons and protons combine. As the temperature decreases sufficiently, electrons bond with protons to create stable, neutral hydrogen atoms. This enables photons to move freely through space for the first time, leading to the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, which represents a glimpse into the early universe.
  • 1 BCE

    Formation of the First Stars (~200-400 million years after the Big Bang)

    Formation of the First Stars (~200-400 million years after the Big Bang)
    The "Cosmic Dawn" the first stars form. As the universe cools, gravity causes matter to clump together, forming the first stars. These stars begin to shine, ending the "dark ages" of the universe and marking the beginning of galaxies.
  • 1 BCE

    Galaxy Formation (~1 billion years after the Big Bang)

    Galaxy Formation (~1 billion years after the Big Bang)
    Galaxies and larger objects and structures form. Matter persistently contracts due to gravity, resulting in the formation of galaxies and increasingly larger cosmic structures. These galaxies start to interact, merge, and evolve over the course of billions of years, culminating in the universe we see today.

  • Present Day (~13.8 billion years after the Big Bang)

    Present Day (~13.8 billion years after the Big Bang)
    The universe continues to grow and evolve. The universe is still expanding, and galaxies are moving apart. Stars are still being born, though the rate of star formation is declining. Supermassive black holes and other exotic objects like neutron stars and white dwarfs populate the universe.