On March 17th 2014, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announced that they had discovered more evidence of the Big Bang, in the form of Gravity Waves. Gravity Waves were first predicted by Albert Einstein as part of his theory of General Relativity almost a century ago. The discovery also lends proof of the theory of Inflation, as put forth by Dr. Alan Guth in 1980. Gravitational Waves are ripples of energy within the fabric of space-time that move outward from the Big Bang at the speed of light.
The experiment, called, BICEP2 (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extra-galactic Polarization 2) took place at an observatory at the South Pole. Researchers used a telescope to detect a pattern of premordial B-mode polarization in the light coming from the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation or CMB. Gravitational Waves squeeze space-time as they propagate. While telescopes can't see Gravity Waves they can see the evidence they leave behind.
The polarization of light waves resulted in a pattern that was twisted and unique to the Big Bang. One researcher stated that they had made an image of of the Gravity Waves and that it "looks like a swirly pattern across the sky." This twisting of light found in the Cosmic Microwave Background is also an implication of Inflation, which is believed to be a brief but rapid expansion of the early universe.
The discovery of Gravity Waves is huge. Some believe that it's bigger than the discovery of the Higgs Boson. In my opinion, it may even one day help physicists explain the existence of Dark Energy.
No comments:
Post a Comment