Journey through 13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution, from the Big Bang to human consciousness. Explore how hydrogen, energy, and complexity shaped the universe.
13.8 billion years of hydrogen-powered evolution
13.8B years ago
Universe begins with pure energy
Hydrogen forms in the first moments. All energy in the universe begins its journey.
13.6B years ago
Hydrogen fusion begins
4.5B years ago
Hydrogen-rich planet emerges
3.8B years ago
First organisms harness hydrogen
2.7B years ago
Plants capture stellar energy
1.5B years ago
Cellular power plants emerge
500M years ago
Brains emerge from hydrogen power
Today
Universe becomes aware
The Cosmic Cycle: Hydrogen created at the Big Bang powers stars through fusion. Stars seed planets with oxygen. Photosynthesis captures stellar energy. Mitochondria use hydrogen gradients to produce ATP. Your brain—a 20-watt consciousness engine—runs on these same hydrogen cycles that began 13.8 billion years ago. You are the universe becoming aware of itself.
Hydrogen is the universe's most abundant element, created in the first moments after the Big Bang. From stellar fusion to photosynthesis to the mitochondria in your cells, hydrogen has been the fundamental currency of energy throughout cosmic history. Every star, every plant, and every conscious thought is ultimately powered by hydrogen.
The universe's journey from simplicity to complexity is driven by energy flow. Stars harness hydrogen fusion to create heavier elements. Photosynthesis captures stellar energy in chemical bonds. Mitochondria use hydrogen gradients to produce ATP. Each step represents a new way of organizing matter and energy to achieve greater complexity and, eventually, consciousness.
The human brain—a 20-watt marvel powered by hydrogen gradients—represents the universe becoming aware of itself. Your consciousness is not separate from the cosmos; it is the cosmos observing its own evolution. Every thought, every moment of awareness, every scientific discovery is the universe's way of understanding itself through the lens of human experience.
As we stand at this moment in cosmic history, we face a choice. Will consciousness remain confined to biological systems, or will it evolve into new forms? Brain-computer interfaces like Neuralink represent the next chapter in this story—the merger of biological and artificial intelligence, powered by the same principles of energy and information that have guided evolution since the Big Bang.
Understand how energy consumption scales from the quantum realm to the human brain to brain-computer interfaces.