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What Was The Early Universe Made Of?
The First Minutes After The Big Bang
Around 13.8 Billion Years Ago
In the first few seconds after the big bang the Universe was a condenced and very hot place. As the first minutes passed the Universe expaneded and started to cool allowing the building blocks of the Universe to start to form and bond to create protons and neutrons and then nuclei. By this point things had slowed down and the dark ages of the Universe began.
380,000 Years After The Big Bang
The start of the Dark Ages
By this point the Universe was made up of Neutrinos, Photons, Atoms and Dark Matter.
Dark Matter made up more than half of the contents of the Universe at this time. Unlike today where it only accounts for around a quarter of matter in the universe.
The main atoms at this time where Helium and Hydrogen and they still are today.
Another 1.6 Million Years Passes
It is at this point that gravity started pulling matter together to create stars and galaxies from the clouds of gas that made up the Universe before this time.
But it would take at least another 400 million years for the first stars to fully ignite and light up the Universe.
- Dark Matter Coming to Light
The mysteries surrounding dark matter are starting to be unraveled. Yet it is becoming more mysterious.