Waves in the very fabric of the cosmos are allowing us
to peer further back in time than anyone thought possible, showing us
what was happening in the first slivers of a second after the big bang.
If confirmed, the discovery of these primordial waves will have rippling
effects throughout science. It backs up key predictions for how the
universe began and operates, and offers a glimmer of hope for tying
together two foundational theories of modern physics. It might even net
the discoverers a Nobel prize.
to peer further back in time than anyone thought possible, showing us
what was happening in the first slivers of a second after the big bang.
If confirmed, the discovery of these primordial waves will have rippling
effects throughout science. It backs up key predictions for how the
universe began and operates, and offers a glimmer of hope for tying
together two foundational theories of modern physics. It might even net
the discoverers a Nobel prize.
The waves in question are called
gravitational waves and are produced when a massive object accelerates
through the fabric of space-time, causing ripples. They appear in
Einstein's highly successful theory of general relativity, although they have never been directly detected.
gravitational waves and are produced when a massive object accelerates
through the fabric of space-time, causing ripples. They appear in
Einstein's highly successful theory of general relativity, although they have never been directly detected.
Today, scientists working with the BICEP2
collaboration at the south pole announced the first clear sign of
gravitational waves, found in maps of the earliest light emitted after
the big bang. The distinctive swirls made by the waves are more
pronounced than the team expected, because models had suggested that
gravitational waves from this early era would be incredibly weak and
perhaps even undetectable.
collaboration at the south pole announced the first clear sign of
gravitational waves, found in maps of the earliest light emitted after
the big bang. The distinctive swirls made by the waves are more
pronounced than the team expected, because models had suggested that
gravitational waves from this early era would be incredibly weak and
perhaps even undetectable.
The team has spent three years ruling out
alternate explanations, such as dust in our own galaxy, distortions
caused by the gravity of more distant galaxies and errors introduced by
the telescope itself. In a pair of papers published online today,
they report a confidence level greater than 5 sigma. In other words,
the odds of seeing this signal by chance are less than 1 in 3.5 million.
alternate explanations, such as dust in our own galaxy, distortions
caused by the gravity of more distant galaxies and errors introduced by
the telescope itself. In a pair of papers published online today,
they report a confidence level greater than 5 sigma. In other words,
the odds of seeing this signal by chance are less than 1 in 3.5 million.
