From the Big Bang to Dark Energy

Overview

From the Big Bang to Dark Energy is a beginner-level Coursera course that takes on the biggest questions in physics — how the universe began, evolved over 13.8 billion years, and continues to expand today. It walks through the evidence behind landmark discoveries like Dark Matter, the Higgs Boson, and the accelerating expansion driven by dark energy, translating cutting-edge cosmology into terms a curious newcomer can follow. Nearly 110,000 learners have taken it, making it one of the more popular pure-science offerings on the platform.

Who it's for

Anyone curious about modern physics and cosmology — no science background required, just an interest in how we know what we know about the universe.

Key skills

• Understanding the universe's origin and evolution
• The roles of Dark Matter and Dark Energy
• The significance of the Higgs Boson
• Scientific reasoning and evidence-based thinking