Before the big bang, there was no matter in the universe. it was a dense, hot, soupy mixture. scientists call this stuff quark-gluon plasma, or quark soup in layman’s terms. , this plasma cooled and gave rise to the first atoms, mostly helium and hydrogen. , the first stars and galaxies formed. , scientists still do not have conclusive evidence of how the first stars and galaxies in the universe came into being.

We certainly know that our universe exists, however, this knowledge alone has not satisfied mankind's quest for further understanding. Our curiosity has led us to question our place in this universe and furthermore, the place of the universe itself. Throughout time we have asked ourselves these questions: How did our universe begin? How old is our universe? How did matter come to exist? Obviously, these are not simple questions and throughout our brief history on this planet, much time and effort have been spent looking for some clue. Yet, after all this energy has been expended, much of what we know is still only speculation.

We have, however, come a long way from the mystical beginnings of the study of cosmology and the origins of the universe. Through the understandings of modern science, we have been able to provide firm theories for some of the answers we once called hypotheses. True to the nature of science, a majority of these answers have only led to more intriguing and complex questions. It seems to be inherent in our search for knowledge that questions will always continue to exist.