Universe in a Nutshell

• Price: $2.99

Last verified 5 Aug 2026

4.9 2505 ratings · App Store

1. 5/5This Is great

   I already love this, defiantly worth the 3 dollars. The zooming in feels good, I love the scale on the right bottom. I do however have some ideas on how to improve the app. For one I think having the ability to flip your screen upside down and the app flip with it would be nice. I think we all have a preferred way to hold our devices and no be able to hold mine the way I like with this app is a small but annoying hinderance. Second I think it would be awesome if you can get the narrator to voice the detail paragraphs. Some people, my self included can have a hard time reading because of metal reasons or lazy ones haha. I think it would definitely feel more immersive with the narrator. I love the animations on some objects, but I wish there were more. Obviously there are just certain items you can’t animate, like how would you animate a chicken egg? But maybe things like making the bamboo leaves sway or the penny has a small shine animation on it. I also think a great addition would be more music, the music you guys make in your videos are lovely. How great would it be if the music changed when you opened the detail panel or zoomed in or out of a certain level. Like space a deeper and mysterious sound too it while may be human level is more playful. Anyways those where just somethings I thought of, and hopefully it helps with devolving the app further. I was honestly so excited when you guys announced you made an app. Your videos are amazing and I can’t wait to see what you decided to do for the future of this app. Thanks for teaching me cool stuff :D

   babycakesgamer · 5 Aug 2026

2. 5/5Astonishing

   We are but specks of dust in this extremely vast universe. The size of the universe to a human is not possibly perceivable, and yet this app has managed to make it almost possible. There are cute, funny descriptions of every single object you tap on, and I can stare for hours reading about each thing I tap on and zooming in and out to the smallest thing in the universe, to the universe itself, just barely grasping how small I really am. It is truly an experience to behold. And the fact that there is music and no ads make the whole journey from big to small so much more immersive. I’m so glad I’m helping support In a Nutshell by buying it. This app is a perfect example of their saying “Quality over quantity”. If the price had been one hundred times more, I still would have bought it. Thanks to everyone that made this masterpiece possible, you all deserve it. Kurzgesagt is keeping science beautiful, just how it’s supposed to be.

   Touchgrind BMX is awesome! · 5 Aug 2026

3. 5/5Puts my existential crisis into perspective

   For those of us that fondly remember that classic space film from 1977...that’s right, I’m talking about “Powers of Ten: A Film Dealing with the Relative Size of Things in the Universe and the Effect of Adding Another Zero,” this app is the ultimate expression of the concepts first popularized in that epic saga. Universe in a Nutshell is packed with astounding detail about objects at every scale in our universe (even more than Katamari Damaci!). It’s a collaboration between two of my favorite explainers-of-things: Tim Urban (“Wait But Why?”) and Kurzgesagt (In a Nutshell). Beautifully illustrated, wittily written and expertly engineered, it’ll expand and contract your mind, ultimately leaving you out of breath as you sip the quantum foam from your piping-hot cup of supernova neutrinos in the restaurant at the end of the universe. I’ll rate it a Googol out of a Googol stars, which turns out to be way, way more than the number of stars in the observable universe.

   wilmot13 · 5 Aug 2026

4. 5/5Marvelous Experience with TONS to Explore!

   I recall seeing science museum exhibit exactly like this when I was a kid. It was one of those memories that I cherish and remember because exploring everything that the world has to offer, both big and small, changes how you think about the world. It's genuinely fun to see the smallest to the largest items in our universe, and learn about everything along the way. Kurzgasagt's Universe in a Nutshell has re-ignited my youthful curiosity and excitement after experiencing this app. It was really enjoyable to explore and play with, and I think it's a WONDERFUL first app for them! I firmly belive the $2 cost is justified because it supports Kurzkesagt, gives you access to the app for life and any future improvements, and is worth the treasure trove of perspective and knowledge it has to offer.

   Sean Blonien · 5 Aug 2026

5. 3/5Good app, but not that great

   Very interesting app, especially for the spark notes of scientific discoveries, but it needs to be updated more frequently. I don’t see UY Scuti listed and i also don’t see Alcyoneus, which dwarfs both virgo A and IC 1101 by many times and is a singular elliptical galaxy. These are just minor examples that’d make it cooler, another cool edition would be even would be the size of a fully generated minecraft world, another similar computer website showed that was bigger than saturn. You could also include the most realistic theory for what’s beyond the observable universe and beyond the edge of the universe to keep people thinking (even if incorrect, cause for debate is better than nothing). Lastly i don’t believe this has anything from the standard model of particle physics if i remember right(though i need to double check after this review). All of that would turn this from a 3 star app into a 5 star app.

   annonadvice · 5 Aug 2026

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