Lecture 37: The Whispers of Creation
Is there any evidence that the Universe was very hot and dense\nin the distant past as predicted by the Big Bang model of the\nexpanding Universe? This lecture examines observational tests\nof the Big Bang Model. We have already covered expansion in the\nprevious lecture. Today we look at Primordial Nucleosynthesis, the creation\nof light elements from fusion during the first 3-4 minutes of the\nhot phases of the Big Bang, and the Cosmic Background Radiation, the relic\nblackbody radiation remaining from when the Universe became transparent\nto light 300,000 years after the Big Bang. Both predictions of the Big\nBang Model have been spectacularly confirmed by observations of the\npresent-day Universe. These give us confidence that the Big Bang, in\nbroad outline, is the correct physical model of our expanding Universe.\nRecorded 2006 February 28 in 1008 Evans Laboratory on the Columbus campus\nof The Ohio State University.