Welcome to Fragments of the Cosmos:
Interactive Simulations for Physics Education

About This Page

Developed using the P5JS animation library, these interactive simulations seek to replicate natural cosmic phenomena in an accessible, interactive, and engaging way. All sims below are Open Educational Resources (OER), shared under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

Known Issues

For the best experience, please view this page on a desktop or laptop computer. It is not currently optimized for mobile viewing due to advanced simulation-code processing requirements.

Curriculum Alignment

Science educators (K-12 and HigherEd), learners, and general physics enthusiasts are encouraged to explore, adapt, and integrate these tools into classrooms, digital platforms, or self-guided inquiry. These browser-based simulations are designed to promote inquiry-based learning, support conceptual understanding through interactive visualizations, and align with core astrophysics and space science learning outcomes. They can be used to reinforce existing curriculum or inspire cross-disciplinary exploration. Looking for ideas?

Disclaimer

These physics education simulations reflect my ongoing explorations as an enthusiast, not a professional physicist. I hope they bring you a little closer to the cosmos. Enjoy!

Milky Way 3D (basic)

Instructions:

Click and drag to rotate the axis of the view of the spiral galaxy; Zoom-in/out.

Note: Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale.

Infinite Galactic Zoom - 2D (click and hold)

Instructions:

Click and hold anywhere on the screen below–to fly through deep space filled with infinite galaxies
Release click to stop
Made with simple HTML, CSS and JS. Also available as standalone webapp here: https://galaxy-zoom.vercel.app/
Available open source on Github. Pull requests welcome

Note: Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale.

Mass Gain on the Higgs Field (2D)

Watch as particles navigate through space, dramatically changing as they encounter the Higgs field. See them slow down and grow, representing mass gain, then shrink and speed up upon exit. Watch this short clip by astrophysicist Brian Greene for a succinct explanation.

Instructions:

Click anywhere to add particles (i.e. yellow circles as they represent electrons, quarks, and the W and Z bosons)
Observe how particles entering the Higgs field (central raised area) slow down and increase in size, representing mass gain
Watch particles shrink and speed up when exiting, simulating mass loss
Particles outside the field maintain constant size and speed, representing their natural massless state
Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale. Best viewed on a computer/laptop browser

Don't see interactive simulations or it does not load? Please refresh your browser tab.

Gravitational Wave Simulator 3D

Field of Study: Astrophysics, Gravitational Wave Astronomy

This Gravitational Wave sim provides an interactive visualization of how wave-form disturbances propagate through the fabric of spacetime, and offers a simplified representation of the cosmic phenomenon. Every single click originated a gravitational wave–as a consequence of bumps on or imperfections in the spherical shape of a neutron star(s).

Instructions:

Click and drag to rotate the view and observe the simulation from different angles
Click anywhere on the grid to create a gravitational wave propagating outwards
Click multiple times to generate multiple waves and observe their interactions
Watch as waves dissipate upon reaching the edge of the visible space-time fabric
Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale. Best viewed on a computer/laptop browser

Scalar Curvature Sim 2D (spacetime fabric)

Instructions:

Use the slider to adjust the strenght of the spacetime curvature. Slider controls a metric vaguely representing the weight of a black hole. The weight of the black hole becomes so intense that spacetime is distorted significantly, like a cone in the fabric itself–even bending light.
Currently under development for 3D
Best viewed on a computer/laptop browser

Interactive Gravitational Lensing - 2D

Experience the mesmerizing effects of gravitational lensing in this interactive simulation, demonstrating the profound impact of massive objects on the path of light in space. This sim is coded to mimic a massive object, such as a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies, warps the space and time around it, causing light from distant objects behind it to bend and appear distorted or magnified.

Instructions:

Click and hold anywhere on the canvas to observe how light particles bend around a gravitational source (your click position as observer)
Release click to reset

Note: Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale.

[Closeup] Interactive Gravitational Lensing 2

Instructions:

Click, hold and move your mouse to see how gravitational lensing occurs.

Note: Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale.

LHC ATLAS Experiment 3D

Visualize the ATLAS experiment's detector–showcasing particle collisions and their interactions with different detector layers. Particles are color-coded based on type and leave fading traces to represent their trajectories.

Instructions:

Click and drag to rotate the axis of the view

Note: Simplified simulation for educational purposes only. Not to scale.

Purpose of this page:

Fragments of the Cosmos: Interactive Cosmic Phenomena Simulations for Physics Educators

Why P5JS PhysicsEd Simulations work for your physics classroom:
- Reduces Cognitive Load: No equations → pure visualization first, easing learners into later math.
- Embodied Learning: Dragging/clicking creates a "body-in-the-loop" understanding (neuroscience shows this boosts retention).
- Gateway to Advanced Topics: Opens discussions about the LHC experiments, spacetime topology, or numerical relativity simulations.
Example classroom use cases:
- Pre-Lab Exploration:
  Example: "Click different locations. How does wave behavior change with distance from the source?"
- Post-Simulation Analysis:
  Example: "Why do waves lose amplitude as they expand? Relate this to energy conservation."

Have an idea in mind? Share it with me and I will develop it for open science.

Fragments of the Cosmos

"Astronomy usually looks back in time when observing the universe, answering the question how the universe evolved to its present state. However, it is also a natural question to ask how the universe and its constituents will develop in the future, based on the currently known laws of nature." - Falcke et al., 2024.