A Telegram from the Early Universe
Dr. Marc Kamionkowski
In March 2014, a small group of scientists working at a new observatory near the South Pole announced the detection of a new relic from the early Universe. The observations found a particular pattern in the cosmic microwave background, the remnant heat left over from the Big Bang. These results have been interpreted as a propagating ripple in the fabric of space-time created within the first trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang. Should this result hold up, it will be one of the most significant advances for cosmology in several decades. Some cosmologists, however, need more information to be convinced. Dr. Kamionkowski will explain not only what has been observed, but also what still needs to be done to establish the results more firmly. There may be fascinating implications for our understanding of the origin of the universe.
Host: Dr. Frank Summers
Recorded live on November 11, 2014 at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD, USA
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