# Universe in a Nutshell — by Kurzgesagt & Wait But Why

> Interactive exploration of universal scale from particles to galaxies. (iPhone/iPad app by in a nutshell - kurzgesagt GmbH.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-in-a-nutshell/id1526364758 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [in a nutshell - kurzgesagt GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526364760)
- Category: Education, Graphics & Design
- Price: $2.99
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 2,507 App Store ratings · 447 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 320 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2020-09-20
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-in-a-nutshell/id1526364758/reviews.md

## What is Universe in a Nutshell?

The range of size in the universe, from the tiniest particles to the epic galaxies - we take you on a journey of size that lets you explore it all with a single swipe. How big is a planet, compared to a human? And how small is an atom really? You can’t fully wrap your head around the scope of things by just reading about them – so this app lets you experience them in comparison to get a feeling for their true scale. By simply swiping you can zoom in and out all the way from the world of fundamental particles up to the largest stars at the edge of the observable universe. 

Seamless zooming between the scales of 10^-35 meters to 10^26 meters (no math required) 

Amazing fun facts for various scale levels, like the smallest bacterium and the largest black hole 

Tap any object for an explanation of what it is and how it works

Beautifully animated illustration of more than 250 objects

Original Kurzgesagt music to complement your experience

## Key features

- Interactive scale exploration
- Seamless zooming from 10^-35m to 10^26m
- Fun facts about objects
- Explanations for each object
- Over 250 animated illustrations
- Original music soundtrack

## Chart rankings

- #103 in Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

## What do users think of Universe in a Nutshell?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🤩 Fascinating and educational
- 🎨 Beautiful artwork and animations
- 🎶 Relaxing background music
- 📚 Comprehensive information on a wide range of topics
- 🔍 Intuitive and easy to navigate

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes on some devices, especially older iPhones
- 🔍 Difficulty comparing sizes of objects due to positioning
- 🕹️ Laggy animations and transitions on some devices
- 🌐 Lack of offline functionality

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch for some users
- Overlapping hit boxes make it difficult to select certain objects

**Most requested features**

- Add more objects to explore (e.g. Uranus, Eris, more moons, etc.)
- Implement a search function to quickly find specific objects
- Add the ability to compare multiple objects side-by-side
- Include more in-depth scientific information and facts
- Provide an option to have the descriptions read aloud
- Improve the smoothness of zooming and panning

## Recent user reviews (10 of 447)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-in-a-nutshell/id1526364758/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great But… Uranus

*2026-08-06, version 1.5.1*

Why Is There No Uranus. And Absolutely No Updates With Objects. I Hope There Are Object Updates. 2: 5 Years Ago From 2026 Was 2020 When This App Was Released. There’s A Website By Wait But Why (Like The Fun House) That Has A Picture On It By Timurban Called Whoever Made This Must Be A Genius When Timurban Said: “I Don’t Know Who Made This, But They Must Be Geniuses To Have Made What Is Clearly The Best App In History.” I Thought It Wasn’t The First Review Until I Checked The Apple Store. And There It Was. The First Review. 5 Stars. Do You Remember That?

### 1/5 — V

*2026-07-04, version 1.5.1*

The UI made me wanna not read

### 5/5 — Mind-blowing

*2026-06-23, version 1.5.1*

Beautiful, enthralling, informative and entertaining. And I love that there are no ads, subscriptions or inappropriate purchases.

### 5/5 — NICE

*2026-06-19, version 1.5.1*

great job on this game it’s amazing

### 5/5 — German language option

*2026-05-01, version 1.5.1*

It would be great to have German language option as I would love to learn about “Universe” in German as well

### 5/5 — This Game ROCKS!

*2026-03-11, version 1.5.1*

In this game you can see the universe from an atom to the obverbulle (sorry I can’t spell right) universe!
So Cool! I’m Sick at the moment but you should check this out today! Beat that Duo!
Ha! LegendLeo2025

### 5/5 — Wow. Just wow.

*2026-02-21*

As the kurzgesagt kid I am, it’s time for my review and wow! This is absolutely incredible! I could look at each description for hours, look at the astonishing work, and sometimes question about why Italy is shaped like a boot. I would like to see more objects though. Here’s the list: Titania, Triton, IO, Callisto, Titan, Hyperion, Car tire, Enceladus, coliseum, and who could forget Uranus! I would also like to see some of your new art style on some objects. You know what earth looked like in your video, “you are not where you think you are”? That’s what I want. I’m not asking you if you could right away, but you can keep it in mind. Anyway that’s all I wanna say for now. Keep it up! And stay curious.

### 5/5 — Amazing informational app

*2026-02-16, version 1.5.1*

From the Planck Length to the Hubble Deep Field it has something to say. The music is also great. If you like Kurzgesagt Art and Physical Sciences this app is for you.

### 5/5 — Super App

*2026-02-04*

Ich dachte ich kenne mich mit dem Universum aus bis ich diese App gekauft hab. Die 2,99€ warem es absolut wert

### 4/5 — Would love audio

*2026-01-22, version 1.5.1*

This is a really cool app that my kids have enjoyed exploring, and one I haven’t added a time limit for because it’s educational. I think a great and helpful addition would be to get the awesome narrator from the videos to read the descriptions for young kids and the visually impaired.

## Frequently asked questions about Universe in a Nutshell

### What does the Universe in a Nutshell app do?

This app allows you to explore the vast range of sizes in the universe, from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. You can swipe to zoom in and out, comparing the scale of different objects and learning about their true size in relation to each other.

### What are the key features of this app?

Key features include seamless zooming across an immense scale range, fun facts about various celestial and subatomic objects, detailed explanations for over 250 beautifully animated illustrations, and an original music soundtrack to enhance the experience.

### Is Universe in a Nutshell free to use?

Yes, the app is completely free to use. It does not feature in-app purchases or advertisements, allowing for an uninterrupted exploration of the universe's scale.

### What kind of information can I learn from the app?

You can learn about the relative sizes of planets, humans, atoms, bacteria, black holes, and stars, among many other objects. Each object has an explanation detailing what it is and how it functions within the universe.

### Who is this app designed for?

This app is designed for anyone curious about the immense scale of the universe. It's particularly beneficial for students, educators, and science enthusiasts who want a more intuitive understanding of cosmic proportions beyond just reading facts.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.5.1 — 2025-11-10

framework updates and security fixes

### 1.2.0 — 2021-07-08

- Improved overall performance and loading times 
- Changed appearance of 15 objects 
- Added new objects to explore
- Content bugfixes

### 1.1.0 — 2020-11-20

- Improved click-controls
- Improved animation framerate
- Content bugfixes
- Image-only version for low-performance devices
- Higher framerate support
- Rotate screen 180°

### v1.0.4 — 2020-09-22

- Content Updates
- User Interface Updates
- Bug Fixing

### 1.0.3 — 2020-09-18

- Memory Optimization
- HQ Animations
- Performance Improvements

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*