StarTalk Radio Cosmic Queries – Origins of the Universe, with Janna Levin
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Apr 10, 2026 
Janna Levin, theoretical cosmologist known for work on black holes and cosmology, joins to tackle cosmic origins. She breaks down what shapes galaxies and stars. She contrasts dark matter and black holes and explains dark energy’s role in cosmic expansion. She explores multiverse ideas, particle colliders versus cosmic collisions, and how quantum processes might weave spacetime.
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Ordinary Matter Is A Tiny Fraction Of The Cosmos
- Visible stars, galaxies, and planets make up less than 5% of the universe's content today.
- Janna Levin explains dark matter forms massive invisible halos around galaxies and dark energy permeates space, dominating cosmic dynamics.
We Survived A Matter Antimatter Tie Break
- A tiny residue of matter survived early annihilation between matter and antimatter, enabling our existence.
- Levin describes the universe emerging with more matter than antimatter due to small symmetry violations we still don't fully understand.
Dark Energy Wins Over Time
- Dark energy's energy density stays constant as space expands, so its relative influence grows over time.
- Levin says expanding vacuum doesn't dilute dark energy, causing acceleration that eventually dominates cosmic evolution.
