The ekpyrotic universe (/ ˌ ɛ k p aɪ ˈ r ɒ t ɪ k /) is a cosmological model of the early universe that explains the origin of the large-scale structure of the cosmos. The model has also been incorporated in the cyclic universe theory (or ekpyrotic cyclic universe theory), which proposes a complete cosmological history, both the past and future.