Try to understand the italicized words in the following sentence

Try to understand the italicized words in the following sentences from the context. Write the word(s) in the space given after each sentence. 2. In cosmology we try to answer the big questions: How did the universe begin? How big is it? Does it have an edge? Will the universe ever end?.(cosmology)_______
【正确答案】：the study of the nature and origin of the universe
【题目解析】：P145