ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Inhomogeneous cosmology

Okay, let's say that our universe is like a big cake. And we want to understand how it looks like and how it changes. Inhomogeneous cosmology is about understanding that this cake isn't baked the same way all over - some parts might be more cooked than others, some might have more fruit or nuts, and some might have more frosting.

Similarly, inhomogeneous cosmology is about understanding that the universe isn't the same all over. Some parts might have clusters of galaxies, while others might have barely any. Some parts might have more matter, while others might have less.

This can make studying the universe really complicated! But scientists study these differences to better understand how the universe formed and evolved over time. Think of it like making a recipe - you need to pay attention to all the ingredients and how they're mixed together to get the final result. Scientists study the inhomogeneities in the universe to get a more complete understanding of how everything fits together.