Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have traced 13 billion years of galaxy evolution, from shortly after the Big Bang to the present day. Their simulation (below), named Illustris, captures both the massive scale of the Universe and the intriguing variety of galaxies -- something previous modelers have struggled to do.
The Nature magazine news story explains the project.
The story of the universe, captured in a sophisticated simulation, provides the opportunity to meditate on the wonder of creation.
It also helps us understand the importance of the current intellectual and spiritual work of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, as it weaves science and faith, attempting to stay conversant with the modern world.
