Cosmic Time Machine is an interactive web experience that lets users travel through the history and future of the universe simply by scrolling.
Used ChatGPT for debugging.
While building the prototypes for Cosmic Time Machine, I learned how challenging it is to turn something as massive as the universe into an interactive experience. Experimenting with Three.js helped me understand how to render and animate objects in 3D space, from simulating the expansion of the Big Bang to creating simple orbital motion in the Solar System.
I also learned the value of prototyping. Instead of trying to perfect everything at once, building small versions of each idea helped me test how the experience should flow. Each prototype brought the project a little closer to feeling like a real journey through time.
n the second prototype, I expanded the experience by introducing two major visual elements: a Big Bang animation and an interactive solar system view.
The prototype now begins with a brief visual sequence representing the early expansion of the universe after the Big Bang. Particles rapidly spread outward, forming the foundation for the cosmic environment that follows.
I also added a simplified solar system scene where users can view planetary orbits around the Sun. This establishes how the project transitions from large cosmic scales to more familiar astronomical systems within the Solar System.
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I created the first prototype of the Cosmic Time Machine interface, focusing on how users will navigate through time.
The interface is centered around a vertical timeline that allows users to scroll across billions of years in the universe’s history. As the user moves along the timeline, the background sky changes to represent different cosmic eras from the early formation of stars to the distant future of the universe.
The prototype establishes the basic layout, including the timeline navigation, space visualization area, and placeholders for educational cosmic facts that will later appear as interactive constellations.
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