Paul Sutter

Is the Big Bang a Myth? Part 4: The Emergence of Matter

December 15, 2025

After the first protons and neutrons formed, after the first light elements formed, the universe…wasn’t really all that great.

Is the Big Bang a Myth? Part 3: The Splitting of the Forces

December 14, 2025

The early universe was a very different place than today. And by “early” I don’t mean a billion or even ten billion years ago. The universe is about 13.77 billion years old, and when it was only a handful of seconds old, it was completely unrecognizable.

Is the Big Bang a Myth? Part 2: The Primaeval Atom

December 13, 2025

In the early 20th century, after years of effort, Albert Einstein developed his general theory of relativity. This was a massive improvement in our understanding of gravity, giving us a sophisticated view into the inner workings of that fundamental force.

Is the Big Bang a Myth? Part 1: Creation Stories

December 12, 2025

Let’s say you are transported back in time to some ancient culture. And along the way you somehow forget everything you knew about modern cosmology (don’t worry about the details, it’s just to get us going here, pretend if you have to that it’s a very strange and selective sort of amnesia introduced by the time traveling device).

The Primordial Black Hole Saga: Part 4 - Hidden Singularities

December 11, 2025

The challenge is that nothing in this universe is simple. And if there’s one thing you take away from today’s episode, then let it be that. Don’t ever let yourself fall into the trap of simple answers for difficult questions. We’re cosmologists, we study the universe as it is, not as we wish it would be.

The Primordial Black Hole Saga: Part 3 - Primordial Ooze

December 10, 2025

The early universe was a pretty intense place to be. And not just “early” as in a few billion years ago. I mean early early, just a few seconds after the Big Bang. The universe is small, less than a meter across. It’s hot, with temperatures so high it doesn’t even make sense to say them – they’re just stupidly high numbers with no connection to our everyday existence.