The Scale of the Universe 2: what it is & sites like it

The Scale of the Universe 2 is the classic version of this idea, and it is a milestone among educational web toys. You see objects drawn at relative size, and you scroll or drag to zoom in or out. At one end are the very smallest things scientists talk about; at the other is the observable universe.

Every object can be clicked for a short fact. The pleasure is in the transitions: a human becomes a speck, then a city, then a planet, then a star, all in a few swipes. The page credits Cary Huang as its creator, with a port to a newer graphics library by Matthew Martori, and it says it was inspired by an earlier cell-size-and-scale piece from the University of Utah.

It takes about five minutes to enjoy, and it works on phones. Compare it with the remastered take at /site/scale-of-the-universe, or browse /category/oddly-educational.

Tips for getting the most out of it

Click objects to read the facts attached to them.
Scroll slowly through the middle sizes; they are surprisingly crowded.
Compare it with the remastered version for a different feel.

Questions about The Scale of the Universe 2

Who made The Scale of the Universe 2?

The page credits Cary Huang as its creator, with a port to the Pixi.js graphics library by Matthew Martori. It says it was inspired by a Cell Size and Scale piece from the University of Utah. Plan on about 5 min. It works on phones.

What does The Scale of the Universe 2 show?

It shows the relative sizes of objects from the smallest things science describes up to the observable universe. You zoom in and out by scrolling or dragging and can click each object to read a short fact. Plan on about 5 min.

Sites like The Scale of the Universe 2

Science & Space