Topic: Nobel Prize for image of infant universe (Read 2386 times)

barefoot · « **on:** October 03, 2006, 12:30:35 PM »

American scientists John Mather and George Smoot just won the Nobel prize in physics for discovering the fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation from the Big Bang. It was actually a huge collaborative effort by about 1000 scientists to put up the COBE (COsmic Background Explorer) satellite that collected the data. The minute temperature fluctuations in the microwave radiation confirm major components of Big Bang theory and show how the intricate web of galactic clusters developed.

This image is from 380,000 years after the Big Bang when the energy density of universe got low enough to become transparent, rather than opaque like a star. Amazing!

http://www.barefootsound.com/homerecording_images/Cosmic_background_fluctuations.jpg

bblackwood · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2006, 12:35:32 PM »

For those that don't know, Barefoot is an actual physicist, so he's way smarter than the rest of us and talks about stuff that makes us go "Ummm, what? These crab cakes are great!"...

Kentish · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2006, 12:57:57 PM »

This user likes crab cakes.

This user also likes what Barefoot is talking about and actually understood it!

Jon Hodgson · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2006, 12:59:50 PM »

Cool...

but what did it sound like?

Annie · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2006, 01:25:07 PM »

i heard this on the NPR this am.

good.

something for all those (red)shifty naysayers.

rankus · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2006, 02:40:39 PM »

And then theres an even "Bigger Bang" Laughing

Of course these guys were around for the first one, so they should know!

Fibes · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2006, 03:31:06 PM »

Where's that electric universe junky when you need him?

If there was a big bang isn't bang kind of a "small" word?

Big KABLLOOOOOOOOOOWIEAHGBOOOOOYSHADADOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Joe Black · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2006, 03:46:02 PM »

Annie wrote on Tue, 03 October 2006 13:25

i heard this on the NPR this am.

good.

something for all those (red)shifty naysayers.

Me too. I liked the part about how the stuff betweenTV channels is your attenna picking up billion year old radiation. I now have a new reply when my daughter demands cable. "You can't pick up the Dawn of the Universe with cable"

J.J. Blair · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2006, 06:49:14 PM »

What mic did they use on it?

Barry Hufker · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2006, 08:29:49 PM »

Snapshots of the infant universe are nothing new. Sears has been doing it for years in their photo department. That's where I took my universe when it was just a toddler.

Barry

Barry Hufker · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2006, 09:40:01 PM »

Here, you can read all about the sound of the Big Bang.

http://www.physorg.com/news79099808.html

Barry

compasspnt · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2006, 01:07:54 PM »

Barry Hufker wrote on Tue, 03 October 2006 20:29

Snapshots of the infant universe are nothing new. Sears has been doing it for years in their photo department. That's where I took my universe when it was just a toddler.

Yeah, I love those backgrounds!

Especially the one with the bucket and sponge and the bar of ivory soap in front of the farmyard fence.

Makes a universe cuter.

Joe Black · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2006, 01:24:53 PM »

JC Penny and the rose pedal background for our parallel universes.

Tidewater · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2006, 03:25:20 PM »

Misperception of an observation, that is why electric universe.

Red

compasspnt · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2006, 04:38:16 PM »

rankus · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2006, 05:50:00 PM »

djui5 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2006, 05:52:46 PM »

That's totally photoshopped!!

Laughing

Just kidding Smile

That's really cool. I'm sending this to my dad. He's a space freak. I think the big bang is possible, and the biblical reference is talking about the planet Earth.

BTW, barefoot, where is this picture taken? The Universe is a pretty big place. How do they know what these pictures are?

Barry Hufker · « **Reply #17 on:** October 04, 2006, 06:03:36 PM »

Barry

Version · « **Reply #18 on:** October 04, 2006, 09:02:49 PM »

Tidewater · « **Reply #19 on:** October 05, 2006, 08:47:45 AM »

hahahahaha

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Author Topic: Nobel Prize for image of infant universe (Read 2386 times)