If You Had to Draw a Universe for Me ― 50 Questions About the Universe, Matter and Scientists

What was there before the Big Bang? Are researchers ordinary people just like everyone else? What will physicists do when they've discovered what's inside particles? Do particles grow when we grow? Does space go on forever? What's inside a black hole?

In 2014, CERN launched an art competition for local primary schools where 50 children were given the opportunity to ask a physicist anything they wanted. The result is a fascinating journey into physics. It is designed to enable primary school teachers and their classes, as well as parents keen to share in their child's discovery of the world, to discuss these questions and explore the answers together.

Through their questions and artwork, the universe unfolds to the most curious among us...

The authors are Michel Spiro, a physicist and former president of the CERN Council, Corinne Pralavorio, who is a communications officer at CERN, Sandrine Saison-Marsollier, who works as an educational consultant, and Marc Goldberg, a playwright and director.

˙Introduction

˙The Universe:
What was the Big Bang?
What was There Before the Big Bang?
Who Created the Big Bang?
What is the Smallest Thing in the Universe? And What is the Biggest?
Does Space Go on Forever?
What are Stars Made Of?
Can a Star Explode?
Why are the Earth and Stars Round?
How are Black Holes Detected?
What is Inside a Black Hole?
Why Does the Earth Orbit the Sun? Why Don't We Feel It Turning?
Why is the Earth's Interior Hot When Space is Cold?
How Do You Know How Long the Sun Will Live?
Is the Sun Growing or Shrinking?
Why is the Sun Hot?
What Will Happen to the Universe When the Sun is No Longer There?
Why Can There Be Only Three Dimensions?
What is the Nost Beautiful Thing in the Universe?
Have Scientists Found Life in Space?
Does the Vacuum in Space Ever End?

˙Matter:
A Dive Into the Infinitesimally Small and the Infinitely Large!
How Can We See Particles?
How Can You Identify Different Types of Particles?
Are Particles Living Things?
Do Particles Travel Between Countries?
Are Particles Hot or Cold?
Can We Catch Particles?
Are Any Particles Dangerous to Humans?
Where Did the First Particles Come From?
How Many Particles are We Made Of?
Do Particles Grow as We Grow?
Do Things Exist That Aren't Made of Particles?
If the Air is Made of Particles and Water is Also Made of Particles, Why Do I Float in Water But Not in Air?
Does Matter Carry on Dividing Forever?
Is There a Force Capable of Breaking Electrons?

˙Researchers:
What Do Researchers Do?
Are Researchers Ordinary People Just Like Everyone Else?
Do Researchers Take Holidays?
Can Researchers Fail in Their Experiments?
What's the Common Language of Physicists?
How Many Years of Study Does It Take to Become a Physicist?
What's CERN Looking For?
Why is CERN called CERN?
Do researchers Always Use Extraordinary Machines in Their Experiments?
Why Do We Need a Large Machine to Look at Something Very Small?
What Will Physicists Do When They've Discovered What's Inside Particles?
Why is It Useful to See Very Small Things?
Has CERN Been Able to Answer the Question of Where Mankind Came From?
Is Science Dangerous for Humans?
Has Anyone Ever Been Teleported?
Why Don't the Laws of Physics Change?
˙Our Little Contributors
˙Translated Words in Illustrations