The universe—demystified! Using a combination of eye-catching graphics, humor, and erudite storytelling, science illustrator Ben Gilliland shows us how the cosmos came to be, from the formation of the first particles in the Big Bang to the development of the stars, galaxies, and planets, leading us up to the present . . . and into the future. Each chapter builds the story of the universe piece by piece, highlighting groundbreaking discoveries in physics from the likes of Albert Einstein, Max Planck, and Peter Higgs, with fun and enlightening sidebars throughout.