Terms of Service

Last updated: September 9, 2026

Welcome to BigBangRegistry.com.

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of BigBangRegistry.com, including its articles, registry entries, databases, calculators, maps, timelines, visualizations, interactive tools, and other content or services made available through the website.

By accessing or using BigBangRegistry.com, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree with these Terms, please discontinue use of the website.

1. About Big Bang Registry

Big Bang Registry is an independent educational and informational publication focused on topics including:

  • the Big Bang;
  • cosmology;
  • the early universe;
  • the Cosmic Microwave Background;
  • cosmic evolution;
  • astronomical observations;
  • cosmological measurements;
  • scientific missions and experiments;
  • datasets and visualizations;
  • and related educational topics.

The website may provide articles, reference entries, timelines, maps, calculators, comparisons, data explorers, and other educational resources.

Big Bang Registry is not a university, observatory, scientific collaboration, government agency, or official research institution.

2. Educational Purpose

Content on BigBangRegistry.com is provided for general informational, educational, and reference purposes.

The website is intended to help readers explore scientific concepts and understand how observations, measurements, models, and experiments contribute to modern cosmology.

Nothing on this website should be interpreted as:

  • professional scientific advice;
  • formal academic instruction;
  • an official research result;
  • an official mission product;
  • professional engineering advice;
  • or a substitute for consulting original scientific literature or qualified professionals.

For additional information regarding these limitations, please review our Disclaimer.

3. Acceptance of These Terms

By accessing or using BigBangRegistry.com, you represent that you are legally capable of agreeing to these Terms.

If you access the website on behalf of an organization, business, school, institution, or other entity, you represent that you have authority to act on behalf of that entity where applicable.

If you do not have such authority, you may use the website only in your individual capacity.

4. Changes to These Terms

We may update or revise these Terms of Service when:

  • website features change;
  • new tools or services are introduced;
  • legal or regulatory requirements change;
  • editorial practices evolve;
  • or other operational changes make an update appropriate.

The current version will be identified by the “Last updated” date shown at the top of this page.

Continued use of BigBangRegistry.com after updated Terms are published constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms to the extent permitted by applicable law.

5. Permitted Use

You may access and use BigBangRegistry.com for lawful personal, educational, research, and informational purposes.

Unless otherwise stated for particular material, you may:

  • read articles and registry entries;
  • link to publicly accessible pages;
  • use interactive tools for personal or educational purposes;
  • quote limited portions of original Big Bang Registry content with appropriate attribution where permitted by law;
  • and reference BigBangRegistry.com in educational or research materials.

Any permission granted under these Terms applies only to material owned by Big Bang Registry.

Third-party content remains subject to the rights and licenses established by its respective owner.

6. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise indicated, original content created specifically for BigBangRegistry.com—including original text, site design, organization, graphics, interfaces, databases, code, custom visualizations, and branding—is protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.

You may not, without permission or another lawful basis:

  • reproduce substantial portions of the website;
  • republish complete articles;
  • commercially redistribute our content;
  • sell access to copied Big Bang Registry content;
  • create a substantially duplicated website;
  • remove copyright or attribution notices;
  • falsely claim authorship of our material;
  • systematically extract our databases;
  • or use our protected content in a manner that infringes applicable intellectual-property rights.

Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of Big Bang Registry intellectual property to you.

7. Linking to Big Bang Registry

You are generally welcome to link to publicly available pages on BigBangRegistry.com.

Links must not falsely imply that Big Bang Registry:

  • endorses your website;
  • sponsors your organization;
  • participates in your project;
  • approves your product or service;
  • or has an official relationship with you.

You may not frame or embed the website in a way that obscures its source or misrepresents ownership of its content.

8. Automated Access and Data Extraction

Automated access to BigBangRegistry.com must not interfere with the operation, security, or availability of the website.

Search engines and other legitimate indexing systems may access publicly available content in accordance with our technical directives, including applicable robots.txt rules.

Unless expressly authorized, you may not use automated systems to:

  • scrape substantial portions of the website;
  • systematically reproduce our registry;
  • harvest datasets created by Big Bang Registry;
  • overwhelm website infrastructure;
  • circumvent technical access restrictions;
  • or construct a competing database primarily from extracted BigBangRegistry.com content.

These restrictions do not override rights granted by applicable law or licenses expressly attached to particular material.

9. Calculators and Interactive Tools

BigBangRegistry.com may provide educational calculators and tools involving subjects such as:

  • cosmological redshift;
  • lookback time;
  • universe age;
  • cosmic distance;
  • scale factor;
  • Cosmic Microwave Background temperature;
  • cosmological parameters;
  • and cosmic epochs.

These tools may rely on particular models, formulas, assumptions, numerical methods, parameter values, and approximations.

Results can vary when different assumptions are used.

You agree not to treat tool outputs as guaranteed scientific results.

Users conducting academic research, professional analysis, engineering, publication-quality calculations, or other accuracy-sensitive work are responsible for independently validating the results.

We may modify formulas, parameters, methods, interfaces, or availability of tools at any time.

10. Maps, Timelines, and Visualizations

Maps, timelines, charts, diagrams, simulations, and other visualizations may simplify complex scientific information for educational purposes.

Visual position, scale, color, timing, or other presentation choices may be approximate unless explicitly identified as measurements derived from a specified dataset.

A visualization should not automatically be interpreted as a literal image or precise representation of physical scale, distance, timing, probability, or scientific certainty.

Users should consult accompanying methodology and source information when precision matters.

11. Third-Party Data and Materials

BigBangRegistry.com may reference, display, analyze, transform, or link to material originating from third parties.

Examples may include:

  • scientific datasets;
  • research papers;
  • astronomical catalogues;
  • mission information;
  • photographs;
  • telescope imagery;
  • Cosmic Microwave Background maps;
  • charts;
  • software;
  • institutional publications;
  • and educational resources.

Ownership and licensing of such material remain with the relevant rights holder.

Our use or reference to third-party material does not transfer any reuse rights to visitors.

Before reproducing or redistributing third-party material discovered through BigBangRegistry.com, you are responsible for checking the original source and any applicable:

  • copyright terms;
  • Creative Commons license;
  • attribution requirements;
  • data policies;
  • commercial-use restrictions;
  • trademark rules;
  • or other licensing conditions.

12. Scientific Sources and Citations

Big Bang Registry may cite scientific papers, government agencies, universities, observatories, research collaborations, journals, archives, or other external sources.

Citations are provided for attribution, transparency, further reading, and verification.

A citation does not mean that the cited organization has reviewed, approved, endorsed, or sponsored BigBangRegistry.com.

Similarly, Big Bang Registry’s interpretation or explanation of a source should not automatically be attributed to the authors or institution responsible for that source.

Readers seeking authoritative technical information should consult the original publication or dataset.

13. External Websites

BigBangRegistry.com may link to third-party websites.

These links may include:

  • NASA;
  • the European Space Agency;
  • universities;
  • observatories;
  • research collaborations;
  • scientific journals;
  • archives;
  • software projects;
  • video platforms;
  • and other reference resources.

We do not control third-party websites.

We are not responsible for their:

  • availability;
  • accuracy;
  • security;
  • content;
  • privacy practices;
  • terms of service;
  • advertising;
  • products;
  • downloads;
  • or subsequent changes.

Visiting an external website is subject to that website’s own policies and terms.

14. No Institutional Affiliation

Big Bang Registry is independently operated.

Unless specifically disclosed otherwise, BigBangRegistry.com is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or officially connected with:

  • NASA;
  • the European Space Agency;
  • MinutePhysics;
  • Henry Reich;
  • the Planck Collaboration;
  • the WMAP Science Team;
  • COBE;
  • universities;
  • observatories;
  • government agencies;
  • research collaborations;
  • or other organizations mentioned on the website.

Names of scientific missions, institutions, projects, researchers, instruments, datasets, and organizations are used for identification, commentary, educational discussion, historical reference, or attribution.

15. Historical Big Bang Registry Project

The domain BigBangRegistry.com was historically associated with an earlier interactive Cosmic Microwave Background project presented by MinutePhysics in 2012.

The present BigBangRegistry.com is an independently operated publication.

The present project does not claim to be the official continuation of that earlier project.

Unless rights have been independently obtained or otherwise clearly established, the current website does not claim ownership of historical:

  • source code;
  • databases;
  • user submissions;
  • illustrations;
  • map designs;
  • artwork;
  • documentation;
  • branding assets;
  • or other proprietary material

created for earlier versions of BigBangRegistry.com.

Historical information may be discussed for documentary, educational, or reference purposes.

Please see our Project History page for additional information.

16. Trademarks

Names, logos, trademarks, service marks, mission names, institutional names, and other proprietary identifiers appearing on BigBangRegistry.com may belong to their respective owners.

Nothing on this website grants you permission to use third-party trademarks.

The use of a trademark or organization name on BigBangRegistry.com does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation.

17. User Contributions

BigBangRegistry.com may in the future provide features allowing visitors to submit:

  • corrections;
  • suggestions;
  • comments;
  • feedback;
  • proposed references;
  • or other material.

If you submit content, you represent that you have the right to provide it and that doing so does not violate another person’s intellectual-property, privacy, contractual, or other legal rights.

You remain responsible for your submission.

By submitting feedback, corrections, or suggestions intended to improve BigBangRegistry.com, you permit us to review, use, adapt, and incorporate that feedback into the website without an obligation to compensate you, unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.

We may reject, edit, or remove submissions where appropriate.

18. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to use BigBangRegistry.com to:

  • violate applicable law;
  • infringe copyright, trademark, privacy, or other rights;
  • distribute malware or harmful code;
  • attempt unauthorized access to systems or accounts;
  • interfere with website infrastructure;
  • evade security or access controls;
  • impersonate Big Bang Registry or another person or organization;
  • falsely imply institutional endorsement;
  • submit knowingly false or unlawful material;
  • harvest personal information without authorization;
  • conduct abusive automated scraping;
  • manipulate or disrupt interactive tools;
  • or use the website in a manner that materially harms other users or the operation of the service.

We reserve the right to restrict access where reasonably necessary to protect the website, its users, or its infrastructure.

19. Accuracy and Availability

We aim to provide useful, well-sourced information, but we cannot guarantee that all content will always be:

  • complete;
  • current;
  • accurate;
  • error-free;
  • continuously available;
  • or suitable for every purpose.

Scientific understanding can change.

Published parameter values can be revised.

Third-party datasets may be updated or withdrawn.

Software can contain bugs.

External links can disappear.

We may correct, update, reorganize, remove, or discontinue content without prior notice.

20. No Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, BigBangRegistry.com is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

We make no guarantee that:

  • the website will always be available;
  • information will be free from errors;
  • calculators will produce results appropriate for every use;
  • every external source will remain accessible;
  • software will operate without interruption;
  • or content will satisfy a particular academic, scientific, commercial, or technical requirement.

Nothing in these Terms excludes warranties or rights that cannot legally be excluded.

21. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, BigBangRegistry.com and its owners, operators, contributors, editors, or service providers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or similar losses arising from your use of or reliance upon:

  • website content;
  • scientific explanations;
  • calculator outputs;
  • datasets;
  • maps;
  • visualizations;
  • external links;
  • third-party material;
  • or website availability.

You are responsible for independently verifying information before relying upon it for purposes where mistakes could have significant consequences.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be prohibited by applicable law.

22. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to be responsible for claims, losses, or expenses arising from your unlawful misuse of BigBangRegistry.com, violation of these Terms, or infringement of another party’s rights.

This provision does not apply where prohibited or restricted by applicable law.

We respect intellectual-property rights.

If you believe material appearing on BigBangRegistry.com infringes copyright or has been used with incorrect attribution, please contact us through our Contact Us page.

Please provide sufficient information to identify:

  • the material in question;
  • its location on BigBangRegistry.com;
  • the original work or source;
  • your relationship to the rights holder;
  • and the nature of your concern.

We may investigate, correct attribution, restrict access, or remove material where appropriate.

Submitting a copyright complaint does not guarantee a particular outcome.

24. Privacy

Use of BigBangRegistry.com may involve limited collection or processing of information through normal website functions, analytics, security systems, cookies, contact forms, or similar services.

Information about such practices should be reviewed in our Privacy Policy and, where applicable, our Cookie Policy.

Third-party services accessible through external links operate under their own privacy policies.

25. Advertising and Affiliate Relationships

BigBangRegistry.com may display advertising, sponsorship disclosures, or affiliate links where appropriate.

The presence of advertising does not mean that advertisers influence scientific explanations, editorial conclusions, or registry classifications.

Where an affiliate relationship or sponsored relationship exists, it should be disclosed in accordance with applicable requirements.

References to scientific organizations, missions, telescopes, institutions, or products are not automatically advertisements or endorsements.

26. Changes to the Website

We may add, modify, reorganize, suspend, or discontinue any portion of BigBangRegistry.com at any time.

This may include:

  • articles;
  • registry entries;
  • URLs;
  • maps;
  • datasets;
  • calculators;
  • interactive features;
  • APIs;
  • account functionality;
  • or other services.

We do not guarantee permanent availability of any particular feature.

27. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent legally permitted.

The unenforceable provision should be interpreted or limited as necessary to preserve its intended purpose where permitted by law.

28. No Waiver

Failure to enforce a provision of these Terms on one occasion does not automatically waive the right to enforce that provision later.

29. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with applicable policies referenced on the website—including the Disclaimer and Privacy Policy—constitute the general terms governing use of BigBangRegistry.com unless additional terms are expressly provided for a particular service or feature.

30. Applicable Law

Your use of BigBangRegistry.com remains subject to all laws and regulations that apply to you and to the operation of the website.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to remove consumer rights, privacy rights, or other protections that cannot legally be waived or excluded.

Any dispute relating to these Terms shall be handled by a court or other competent authority having lawful jurisdiction, unless applicable law or a separate written agreement requires another procedure.

31. Contact Us

Questions concerning these Terms of Service, intellectual-property issues, website use, or permissions may be submitted through our Contact Us page.

Big Bang Registry
Mapping the Beginning of the Universe