How Did the Universe Begin?

🕐 4 min 9 sec 👦 Ages 6–8 🌍 English
Join Owlo and Koko as they explore the wonders of the universe's beginnings, sparking curiosity about space and science!
Understand the concept of the universe's origin Encourage curiosity about space and science Learn about the role of scientists in discovery
📖 Story Script
                    Koko:
                    Owlo, yesterday I looked at the stars with my dad. The sky was so big and full of little lights.
                
                    Owlo:
                    That sounds like a wonderful evening, Koko. The starry sky is indeed marvelous to see.
                
                    Koko:
                    Yes, but then I suddenly thought of something. All those stars and planets, the moon and the sun, how did it all begin?
                
                    Koko:
                    How did the universe actually start in the first place?
                
                    Owlo:
                    What a special question, Koko. Come, let us go to the school rooftop. We can look at the sky better from there.
                
                    Koko:
                    Wow, from up here the sky looks even bigger. It feels like we are floating in space.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Exactly. Now we can think better about your question. You know, scientists studied for a very long time how everything began.
                
                    Koko:
                    And did they find the answer? That must have been incredibly difficult, right?
                
                    Owlo:
                    They discovered a theory called the Big Bang. About fourteen billion years ago, the entire universe was very, very small.
                
                    Koko:
                    Small? But the universe is incredibly huge. How could it have ever been small?
                
                    Owlo:
                    Imagine that everything, absolutely everything, fit into a tiny little point. Even smaller than a grain of sand.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Then something special happened. There was an enormous burst, an explosion full of energy and light.
                
                    Koko:
                    An explosion in space? Did that make a lot of noise then?
                
                    Owlo:
                    Actually no, because there was no air yet to carry sound through. It was more like a huge expansion, as if something grew bigger very quickly.
                
                    Koko:
                    I still do not completely understand it. Could you maybe explain it in a different way?
                
                    Owlo:
                    Of course. Come, let us go to the science classroom. I have a balloon there that can help us.
                
                    Koko:
                    Okay, we are here now. What are we going to do with the balloon?
                
                    Owlo:
                    Look, I will first draw some dots on the balloon with this marker. Do you see how close together they are?
                
                    Koko:
                    Yes, they are very close together. Just like freckles on a nose.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Exactly. Now I am going to slowly blow up the balloon. Watch carefully what happens to the dots.
                
                    Koko:
                    Oh, they are moving apart. They all move away from each other as the balloon gets bigger.
                
                    Owlo:
                    The Big Bang worked the same way. The universe kept getting bigger, and everything moved away from each other.
                
                    Koko:
                    So the stars and planets flew in all directions? That must have looked funny.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Not quite right away, Koko. First the stars and planets had to form from tiny particles.
                
                    Koko:
                    How then? Did they just suddenly appear out of nowhere?
                
                    Owlo:
                    After the Big Bang, the universe was first very hot and filled with tiny particles. Those particles slowly clumped together.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Just like clay sticks together. This is how large balls of gas formed that later became stars.
                
                    Koko:
                    And the planets? How were those made then, I wonder?
                
                    Owlo:
                    Around some stars there floated more dust and little rocks. They also stuck together, just like snowballs that grow bigger.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Billions of years later, these became the planets, like our Earth where we are standing right now.
                
                    Koko:
                    Wow, so our Earth was also formed that way. That is actually quite special.
                
                    Owlo:
                    Very special indeed. And the whole process took incredibly long, much longer than you and I can imagine.
                
                    Koko:
                    Owlo, could you maybe tell me what I have learned today?
                
                    Koko:
                    The universe started very small, smaller than a grain of sand. Then came the Big Bang and everything became bigger and bigger.
                
                    Koko:
                    Tiny particles stuck together and became stars. Later, planets also formed from dust and little rocks.
                
                    Koko:
                    Now I would like to learn more about how stars exactly work. Do they make their own light like lamps do?
                
                    Owlo:
                    That is another wonderful question for another day, Koko. Your eagerness to learn makes me proud.