CARLOS Frenk and Nigel Glover know more about how the universe began than almost anyone living today. And they can make a pretty good guess about how it will end.

They spend their time mapping the universe using the world's biggest digital camera.

On other days, they might simulate the development of the universe using the biggest supercomputer currently being used on a single academic project anywhere in the UK.

So how to summarise their work - and its significance - for those of us not so clear on the difference between quarks and leptons?

"They work on the smallest things in the universe, while we work on the biggest things," Prof Frenk says.

The "they" are staff and students of the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, of which Prof Glover is the director, while the "we" are members of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, headed by Prof Frenk.

The IPPP and ICC share the Ogden Centre, on Durham University's Science Site, making the glass-fronted building home to dozens of the world's best physicists.

On Wednesday, the Ogden Centre celebrated its fifth birthday.

Prof Frenk called it "a party".

Well, of sorts. The centre hosted a series of five lectures, attended by scientists from across the globe.

Up for debate were: the origins of planets; the mystery of dark energy; the role of neutrinos in the evolution of the universe and what and where is dark matter?

Oh yes, and: was Einstein right or are there extra Space-time dimensions?

"It's one of those times to stand up and be counted," Prof Glover said.

"Everything about the Ogden Centre has been a massive success so far."

Since Tony Blair opened the building, its scientists have "replayed"

the development of the universe on computer, completed one of the two most extensive maps of the universe ever created and confirmed the universe is dominated by the mysterious force dark energy - the latter being named the most important discovery in any field of science during 2003.

"Our perception of the universe completely changed," Prof Frenk said.

"It was like looking into your house expecting to find chairs, tables and a television, but finding as well as all that there's an elephant in the sitting room."

So what's planned for the next five years?

Funding was recently secured to upgrade Cosma - the centre's super-computer.

And a yet more extensive map of the universe is in the pipeline, which will involve staring out into the universe through a huge telescope on Hawaii.

Will Durham produce the answer to life, the universe and everything? Watch this space.