Cosmic Plainly — Page 3

An inflating balloon covered in evenly spaced dots showing how space expands without a central point

ExplainerStars, Galaxies & the Big Picture

The Big Bang in Plain English: How the Universe Began

What was the Big Bang? A clear, jargon-free guide to how the universe began, what came before, and how we actually know any of it happened.

Jun 29, 2026 · 8 min read

Labeled diagram of a black hole showing the central singularity and the surrounding event horizon

Deep DiveStars, Galaxies & the Big Picture

What Happens If You Fall Into a Black Hole?

Step into a black hole thought experiment: spaghettification, time slowing, and what you'd actually see as you cross the point of no return.

Jun 29, 2026 · 8 min read

Pinterest pin graphic with bold text saying black holes are not cosmic vacuum cleaners over a glowing black hole

ExplainerStars, Galaxies & the Big Picture

Black Holes for Beginners: What They Are and Aren't

What is a black hole, really? A clear, jargon-free guide that explains what black holes are, busts the cosmic-vacuum myth, and answers the questions beginners actually ask.

Jun 29, 2026 · 9 min read

Illustration of a massive star exploding into a brilliant supernova with expanding shockwaves of colorful plasma across deep space

ExplainerStars, Galaxies & the Big Picture

What Is a Supernova? When a Star Explodes

What is a supernova and why does it happen? A clear, jargon-free guide to how stars explode, the two main types, and why these blasts created you.

Jun 29, 2026 · 7 min read

A glowing star surrounded by colorful clouds of cosmic gas and dust in deep space

Deep DiveStars, Galaxies & the Big Picture

The Life and Death of a Star, Explained Simply

Follow a star's full life cycle—from a cloud of gas to its dramatic end as a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole—in plain, jargon-free language.

Jun 29, 2026 · 10 min read

A glowing cosmic cloud of gas and dust filled with newborn stars against deep space

ExplainerStars, Galaxies & the Big Picture

How Stars Are Born: From Cosmic Clouds to Shining Suns

How does a star form? Follow gas and dust as it collapses into a glowing new star—a clear, jargon-free journey through stellar birth, no equations required.

Jun 29, 2026 · 8 min read

The pale blue planet Uranus tilted nearly sideways with its thin rings appearing vertical against a dark starry sky

ExplainerSolar System Simplified

Why Does Uranus Spin on Its Side?

Uranus is tilted a wild 98 degrees, rolling around the Sun like a ball. Discover the ancient collision that likely knocked it onto its side.

Jun 29, 2026 · 6 min read

The eight planets of the solar system shown in a row from Mercury to Neptune with realistic colors

Quick ReferenceSolar System Simplified

Quick Facts About Every Planet, at a Glance

Key stats for all 8 planets in one scannable place: size, distance from the Sun, day length, moons, and what makes each world weird.

Jun 29, 2026 · 6 min read

Side-by-side comparison of a compact textbook solar system diagram versus a true-to-scale version with vast empty space between planets

ExplainerSolar System Simplified

How Big Is the Solar System Really? A Sense of Scale

The distances between planets are mind-bending. Use simple shrink-it-down analogies to finally grasp how vast our solar system truly is.

Jun 29, 2026 · 7 min read

The distant Sun as a faint point of light illuminating a vast field of icy objects at the edge of the solar system

ExplainerSolar System Simplified

What Are the Outer Edges of the Solar System Like?

Journey beyond Neptune into the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud, the frozen frontier where comets are born and the Sun's reach finally fades.

Jun 29, 2026 · 7 min read

Venus shown as a bright golden cloud-covered planet beside gray cratered Mercury against a starry background

ExplainerSolar System Simplified

Why Venus Is Hotter Than Mercury Even Though It's Farther From the Sun

Venus is farther from the Sun than Mercury, yet it's the hottest planet. Here's the runaway greenhouse effect explained in plain, jargon-free terms.

Jun 29, 2026 · 6 min read

Vertical collage of seven solar system moons with name labels on a starry background

ListSolar System Simplified

Moons of the Solar System: 7 That Are Stranger Than Planets

Discover 7 of the most fascinating moons in our solar system—from ice volcanoes to hidden oceans—explained simply, with one wow-fact each.

Jun 29, 2026 · 8 min read