Embark on a captivating journey through the history of our understanding of the Universe's structure in this illuminating lecture by J Richard Gott. Explore the concept of the 'cosmic web', which posits that our Universe resembles a sponge composed of galaxy clusters intricately connected by filaments. Delve into the groundbreaking telescope surveys, such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, that are revolutionizing our comprehension of the cosmos. Discover how the cosmic web holds crucial clues to the universe's origins and its potential future over the next trillion years. Learn about various cosmological concepts, including the Hubble-Humason observations, the Friedmann Big Bang model, Fritz Zwicky's work on galaxy clusters, and the theory of cosmic inflation. Examine the evolution of our understanding through historical milestones, cutting-edge simulations, and observational data from projects like the WMAP and Planck missions. Gain insights into the complex structure of the Universe, from regular polyhedrons to the sponge-like nature of galaxy distributions, and explore the implications of these findings for our cosmic understanding. Read more