In "A Short History of Nearly Everything," author Bill Bryson explores the origins of the universe and how humans have come to understand it. One intriguing concept he discusses is the coloured temperature image of the first photons, the ancient light formed shortly after the Big Bang. This light, now detectable on Earth, serves as a faint background radiation that permeates the universe.

This ancient light can be likened to the static we often see on old television screens, a reminder of the universe's beginnings. Bryson illustrates how these first photons connect us to the very dawn of existence, showcasing both the complexity of our universe and the simplicity of the signals that carry its history to our modern world.