cosmological structure formation

Cosmological structure formation describes how the universe's small initial density fluctuations, present after the Big Bang, gradually grew under gravity to form galaxies, stars, and clusters. Early tiny irregularities in matter density acted as seeds, pulling in surrounding matter over billions of years. Dark matter played a critical role as it provided additional gravitational pull, helping structures form more efficiently. Over time, these processes led to the large-scale cosmic web of interconnected galaxies and voids we observe today. This evolution is driven by gravity and the expansion of the universe, shaping the complex structures seen throughout the cosmos.