The Big Picture
Understand how the universe fits together, from the atoms in your fingertips to the galaxies at the edge of space. This course connects the dots of existence into one satisfying story.
Like Duolingo, but for The Big Picture. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
A short one: 9 levels across 2 sections, about 18 minutes end to end, roughly 4 days at five minutes a day. It moves through The Building Blocks and The Rules of the Game. It starts from scratch.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in The Big Picture
- All physical matter is built from the same basic building blocks
- The nucleus of an atom is tiny compared to the space its electrons occupy
- Atoms are the universal ingredients for everything in the physical world
- Electrical forces provide the 'solid' feel of matter by repelling other atoms
- The diversity of objects comes from how these few ingredients are combined
- Matter is more like a vast void than a continuous solid block
- The universal composition of all physical objects
- The structural reality of solid-feeling matter
- The state of matter depends on how much the atoms are moving
- Closeness and freedom of movement determine if something flows or holds its shape
- Heavy elements are created through the intense heat and pressure of stars
- Supernovas and dying suns scattered these ingredients across the universe
- Human biology is a direct recycling of ancient cosmic material
- Matter cannot be destroyed, only rearranged into different forms
- How atomic spacing and movement define states of matter
- Missing mass in a reaction usually escapes as invisible gases like smoke or vapor
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives The Big Picture the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
If you looked inside an atom, what would you mostly find?
Get it right to open this lesson and 8 more in the app.
How to learn The Big Picture, step by step
Go in order. 9 short levels across 2 sections, about 18 minutes in all, five minutes a day.
- 1
The Building Blocks
- The Microscopic Foundation
- The Cosmic Neighborhood
- 2
The Rules of the Game
- The Universal Laws
2 sections · 3 units · 9 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Questions about The Big Picture
How do I learn The Big Picture?
Go in order: start with The Building Blocks, then The Rules of the Game. On Tomo that's 9 short levels, about 18 minutes in all, played five minutes a day. Start free and play the first level in under a minute.
Is there a Duolingo-style app for The Big Picture?
Yes. Tomo works like Duolingo: short daily lessons, streaks and quick quizzes. The Big Picture is one of its free courses, and you can type any other topic to get a course of your own.
Is The Big Picture free?
Yes. The Big Picture is playable on Tomo's free plan, which doesn't expire. No credit card, no waitlist. Download the app and start your first lesson.
How long does it take to learn The Big Picture?
9 levels across 2 sections, about 18 minutes of play in total. It's built for five minutes a day, so you finish it a little at a time instead of all at once.
Do I need any background to start The Big Picture?
No. It's pitched at a beginner level, so it starts where you are and builds up. If you can tap a phone, you can start.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
The Big Picture is taught in the Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More Science on Tomo
Decoding the Universe
Learn to read the messages hidden in starlight and understand the invisible forces that shape our cosmos.
The Cosmic Web: Mapping the Universe
Explore the largest structures in existence, from vast cosmic voids to the intricate filaments of dark matter that connect the galaxies.
How Space Works
Understand what you see when you look up at the night sky and how the cosmos functions. Learn the mechanics of orbits, the lifecycle of stars, and the vast architecture of the universe.
Astrophysics: The Life of the Cosmos
Move beyond basic stargazing to understand the physical laws governing stars, galaxies, and the fabric of space-time itself. Learn how we measure the unmeasurable and predict the fate of the universe.
Our Cosmic Neighborhood
Get to know the planets, stars, and the invisible forces that hold our universe together in this quick guide to the night sky.
Photosynthesis: Solar Power for Life
Go beyond the basics of 'sun meets leaf' to discover how plants actually capture light and turn it into fuel. Learn how the green world breathes and powers almost every living thing on Earth.
Start The Big Picture today.
Download Tomo, search The Big Picture, and play your first lesson in under a minute.