Cosmogony
A cosmogony is an account or theory of the universe’s origin and development, expressed through myth, philosophy, or scientific explanation.
Big Bang: The expansion of the universe from an early hot, dense state, described by modern cosmology. The leading scientific model of cosmic development from an early hot, dense universe.
Cosmology: The study of the universe's large-scale structure, history, and fundamental laws. Cosmogony addresses the origin question within cosmology's broader study of the universe.
Steady-state theory: A cosmological model proposing that the expanding universe maintains a constant average density through continuous matter creation. It opposed the Big Bang by denying that the universe evolved from a dense early state.
Axis mundi: A symbolic world axis connecting the heavens, earth, and underworld in many religious traditions. Some creation narratives organize the newly formed cosmos around a connecting center.
Enuma Elish: An ancient Babylonian epic in which the god Marduk creates the ordered world after defeating Tiamat. This creation epic presents cosmic order as emerging from divine conflict.
Creation myth: A traditional narrative explaining the origin of the world, humanity, or their defining features. Mythic cosmogonies are a major form of creation myth.
Cyclic model: A cosmological model in which the universe undergoes repeated phases of expansion and contraction or renewal. It replaces a single cosmic beginning with recurring episodes of cosmic history.
Anthropic principle: The principle that observations of the universe are conditioned by the existence of observers. It frames questions about why cosmic conditions permit observers to exist.
Book of Genesis: The opening book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament, including an account of creation. Its creation narratives have shaped Jewish and Christian understandings of the world's beginnings.
Cosmic inflation: A hypothesized period of extremely rapid expansion in the early universe. Inflation extends the Big Bang account into an earlier, still-debated phase.