Big Bang Theory Gets a Boost

04 Apr, 2014 | Labroots
08-black-hole-jets-hubble-latest-greatest-670x500-130128Researchers claim that they have discovered evidence that proves the universe was created in only a matter of a split second. The discovery is based on an idea called “Cosmic Inflation” -- a different take on the Big Bang theory. The experiment that led to the discovery was conducted by a team of astronomers with John Kovac from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics leading the team. The experiment was called BICEP2 and was performed at the South Pole. The excitement from the astronomers came with the discovery of evidence that closely matched the original theory. The astronomers detected ripples from gravitational waves that had been created during a violent inflationary event during the dawn of time. These waves have been described by scientists as the “first tremors of the Big Bang.” The data collected confirms a deep connection between quantum mechanics and general relativity. While Kovac admits that no scientific theory can ever be proven true, the similarity of the evidence with what had been thought to occur made for a believable explanation. The news was met with cautious exultation, with scientists claiming this as possibly one of the biggest discoveries of the past two decades. The information was gathered using the BICEP2 telescope to observe the cosmic microwave background, which is a faint glow that is left over from the Big Bang. The tiny fluctuations in the afterglow offer the scientists clues about conditions during the early universe. A science article in the Washington Post reveals the scientists’ excitement over having evidence to provide them with a stunning look back at the second the universe was born.
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