Large Numbers That Define the Universe

Giant numbers

Credit: ESA/H. Richer and J. Heyl/NASA

From the grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth to the number of stars in the sky, our universe is teeming with big numbers. Miles beneath our feet, there could lie a quadrillion tons of diamonds. With the addition of only a few zeros, big numbers transform from "countable" to the subject of guesswork. Eventually, their existence pulls at our imagination and requires the crafting of intricate scenarios. They may or may not have a presence in the universe. From the tiniest specks in the universe to the biggest numbers humanity has ever conceived, here are some of the numbers that make up our universe.