A 10-minute time-lapse of 13 billion years turns the universe’s history into one long countdown, and humanity appears only at the very end, which is the point that makes deep time feel personal

All of us know how old the Universe is. We have all heard the number many times before. Approximately 13.8 billion years. This is quite a large number, and yet at the same time, it is incredibly difficult for us to imagine it.However, a recently released short film changes this perception.Released by Aeon on June 29, The 13 Billion Years That Led to Us takes the viewer through the journey of the Universe from its early stages up until today. It tells the story of roughly 13.8 billion years compressed into 10 minutes. The video is created by filmmaker and composer John D. Boswell, more popular as melodysheep online, and has gained popularity among viewers because of one important feature.

It makes viewers feel immersed in an extraordinary timeline.According to Aeon, the video highlights key moments of the Universe’s history, including the birth of the first stars and galaxies, the formation of our Solar System, and finally, the emergence of humanity.Billions of years fly past in the wink of an eyeIt’s one thing to read that the age of the Universe is about 13.8 billion years. It’s quite another thing to see all of that history played out before your eyes.

The film whizzes us through epochs where galaxies form, stars are born and die, black holes grow, and planets are slowly formed. By the time Earth forms, the majority of cosmic history has already taken place. Human civilization comes along only at the very end, an indication of just how young we really are.Scientists have determined that the age of the Universe is approximately 13.8 billion years through observations of the cosmic microwave background by the Planck mission.

A reminder of our place in the scheme of thingsThe science shown in the film is something that any person interested in space would know. The milestones highlighted in the film are already well-known facts. What appears to be something new is the manner in which these facts are woven together into one continuous narrative. Instead of studying the Big Bang, galaxies, and stars individually, they are all parts of one continuous story.Our perception of our position in the Universe becomes quite different.

Humans have lived on Earth for a mere 300,000 years, but compared to the age of the Universe, this period is nothing more than a small blip.As per the Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program, Homo sapiens first emerged in Africa about 300,000 years ago.Why does the film make such an impact on us?Boswell is famous for mixing scientific facts with movie-like presentations, and this film is no exception. On his own official website, he states that the film represents about 13.8 billion years compressed into ten minutes, so that it allows the viewer to experience the entire history of the Universe in just one single flow.

The images used in the film are based on scientific facts, and the music used is original.It does not look like a scientific presentation at all, but more like a documentary.Staring into the night sky is a different experience afterwardPerhaps one of the greatest concepts in the movie is one of the simplest. All that humans know, such as mountains, oceans, cities, and civilizations, is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the timeline of the cosmos. In a brief moment of time, humans have figured out how stars are made, how galaxies develop, and how the universe was created.NASA says that the elements that form planets and organic beings originated in the hearts of stars many years ago, before the Earth ever existed.More than a mere astronomy lectureThis documentary does not ask viewers to memorize dates or scientific terms. What the film gives is something quite unusual – perspective.After seeing 13.8 billion years fly by in just 10 minutes, trivial matters may suddenly appear insignificant. Yet, the fact that mankind shows up only towards the end of the film makes its presence even more fascinating.It is the combination of wonder and humility that makes The 13 Billion Years That Led To Us such an appealing film. It reminds us that although we arrive late in the universe’s history, we are the ones able to look back and ask where everything began.