Year of the Comet
Comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)

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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)

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Web Extras

A cosmos with no beginning or end

The cyclic theory of the universe proposes a novel answer to the question: What happened at the Big Bang?
By Richard Talcott
Published: February 23, 2009
In the standard Big Bang model of the universe, the cosmos began with a blinding flash 13.7 billion years ago. The Big Bang created space, time, matter, and energy. During the next 13.7 billion years, the initially minuscule volume expanded and cooled, giving birth to galaxies, stars, planets, and life. It's a compelling story, and tons of evidence supports it. Yet it's not without some uncertainty.
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