The ΛCDM model has been the standard model of cosmology for nearly two decades. It is based on the idea that the Universe began with the Big Bang and has been expanding ever since. According to this model, about 95% of the Universe is composed of dark matter and dark energy—components whose physical nature remains unknown.

In this talk, Phd Student in Cosmology at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, Hong-Gang will give a brief overview of how our understanding of the Universe has evolved, from the ideas of ancient Greek philosophers to modern cosmology. I will discuss how we arrived at a model in which most of the Universe is still mysterious, and what the future may hold for our attempts to understand it.