Scientists can explore the history of the universe by measuring how energy waves move in the sky. The CLASS telescope has mapped how microwave energy “wiggles” over Earth to learn more about the cosmic fossil that could help reveal the story of the universe

Gravitational waves are waves of the intensity of gravity that are generated by the accelerated masses of binary stars and other motions of gravitating masses. They propagate as waves outward from their source at the speed of light. 

As two black holes spiral toward each other and collide to form a new supermassive black hole, they emit huge amounts of energy in the form of gravitational waves. These vibrations stretch and squeeze spacetime

By measuring how energy waves wiggle in the sky over Earth, scientists have created a way to delve into the history of our 13.8 billion-year-old universe — starting right at its “first light.”

The team, led by Johns Hopkins University astrophysicists, used an array of microwave telescopes called the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) to map 75% of the sky over Earth. This observatory is located in the Andes mountain range, some 16,860 feet above Chile’s Atacama Desert.

The measurements made by CLASS have to do with “microwave polarization,” associated with the direction in which waves of light are aligned. These measurements will help scientists filter a wavelength of radiation released from the Milky Way connected to the universe’s first light, a celestial fossil called the “cosmic microwave background,” or CMB

Decoding a cosmic fossil

The CMB is composed of remnant light from an event that occurred around 380 million years after the Big Bang during a period called the “epoch of recombination.” Up until this point, the universe was filled with a hot, dense plasma that made it opaque. These so-called cosmic dark ages were caused by free electrons endlessly bouncing around particles of light called photons. 

Then, the epoch of recombination began when the universe had expanded and cooled enough to allow electrons to bond with protons, create the first atoms and give rise to the universe’s lightest and simplest element: Hydrogen. The sudden absence of free electrons meant photons were instantly free to travel, and the universe became transparent to light. 

According to Space.com, scientists can study the history of the universe by measuring how energy waves move in the sky above Earth. This method can be used to study the universe’s history from its “first light

Another way to determine the age of the universe is through precise measurements of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation

These measurements will help scientists filter a wavelength of radiation released from the Milky Way connected to the universe’s first light, a celestial fossil called the “cosmic microwave background,” or CMB

The Lambda-CDM concordance model describes the universe’s evolution from a hot, dense state to its current state over 13.77 billion years. However, some studies have estimated the universe’s age to be 26.7 billion years old

Scientists estimate the age of the universe by looking for the oldest stars and measuring the rate of the universe’s expansion. They also use the Hubble constant to understand the universe’s age. The Hubble constant is represented by the rate of acceleration, which scientists can measure using the cosmic microwave background (CMB). 

The universe is expanding so fast that in 2 trillion years, galaxies beyond our local supercluster will disappear over the cosmic horizon. In about 100 trillion years, all star formation will have ended

Before 1999, astronomers had estimated that the age of the universe was between 7 and 20 billion years. But with advances in technology and the development of new techniques we now know the age of the universe is 13.7 billion years, with an uncertainty of only 200 million years.

The Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) telescope maps how microwave energy “wiggles” over Earth to learn more about the cosmic fossil that could help reveal the story of the universe

The CLASS telescope is a collaboration led by Johns Hopkins University astrophysicists. It measures microwave polarization, or how these energy waves wiggle in particular directions. The maps could improve our understanding of the physical processes that existed in the early universe. 

The cosmic fossil is known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB), radiation left over from just after the Big Bang. Cosmic fossils are made almost exclusively from hydrogen and helium, and each one is between 100 and 1000 times the mass of the sun

The team, led by Johns Hopkins University astrophysicists, used an array of microwave telescopes called the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) to map 75% of the sky over Earth. This observatory is located in the Andes mountain range, some 16,860 feet above Chile’s Atacama Desert

The CLASS telescope’s findings could help us understand the early universe:

• Chemical composition The telescope’s spectroscopic capabilities can analyze the chemical composition of distant galaxies. This can help us understand how different elements have changed over cosmic time, and how this has influenced the chemical evolution of galaxies. 
• Star formation Stars are usually created from nebulae, which are regions with high-density dust and gas particles. Huge streams of dust particles surround the baby stars, which blocks most of the normal visible light emitted. However, infrared from baby stars can penetrate through the dust barrier. 
• Early galaxies Webb’s findings suggest that early galaxies are often flat and elongated, like surfboards and pool noodles – and are rarely round, like volleyballs or frisbees. 
• Exoplanets A nearby exoplanet has abundant life-supporting molecules. The JWST’s findings suggest that K2-18 b may belong to a rare category of exoplanets known as “Hycean” worlds. Such planets are postulated to feature a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a surface covered by a vast water ocean. 

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