Smithsonian scientists just recreated the first 2 billion years of the Universe

Scientists have created one of the largest and most detailed simulations of the early universe ever developed, offering a remarkable new way to explore how the cosmos evolved after the Big Bang. Known as "Lumina," the simulation was built by researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian to help astronomers interpret observations from powerful instruments such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Nancy Roman Space Telescope.

The research, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , reconstructs the universe's first 2 billion years by modeling the interactions between ordinary matter, dark matter, and radiation. By comparing Lumina's predictions with observations from JWST, Roman, and other telescopes, scientists can evaluate how well existing theories explain cosmic evolution and identify discoveries that might challenge their understanding of the universe's fundamental laws.