For the astronomy nerds out there (and really, which of us isn't even a tiny bit of an astronomy nerd?) check out Universe Sandbox: http://universesandbox.com/

For the astronomy nerds out there (and really, which of us isn't even a tiny bit of an astronomy nerd?) check out Universe Sandbox: http://universesandbox.com/ http://universesandbox.com/ You can run simulations similar to what's described in the article and really get an intuitive understanding of how these galaxies form and change on a timescale of millions or billions of years. I know nothing about formal astrophysics but could play with that game for hours (and have). Also kind of makes you realize that studying what's out there is somewhat akin to studying the bubbles that form in a bubble bath -- lots and lots (and lots) of randomness, but still so much to learn...