The Big Bang theory developed from early observations of the structure and expansion of the universe. In 1912, Vesto Slipher measured the first Doppler shift of a spiral galaxy, finding that galaxies were receding from Earth, though he did not grasp the cosmological implications. Later, Hubble discovered this expansion, now known as Hubble's Law. Over long periods, small density fluctuations in the early universe grew via gravity to form all current astronomical structures. Major evidence for the Big Bang includes the expansion of the universe, cosmic microwave background radiation, and abundances of light elements formed in the early hot dense phases. Pioneering scientists who contributed include Einstein, Friedmann, and Hubble.