Cosmology

Cosmic Inflation Signal Just Dust

The long-awaited analysis of spiraling polarization patterns called B-modes affirms that these signals, purportedly from the universe’s post-birth inflation, are probably from dust in our galaxy instead.

dust polarization emission at galactic poles

Cosmology

Dust Makes Cosmic Inflation Signal Iffy

A new analysis of Planck data bolsters the claim that the polarization signal heralded as evidence for cosmic inflation is from dust instead.

Planck map with cosmic infrared background

Milky Way

Big Bang Inflation Evidence Inconclusive

New analyses suggest that observations heralded as evidence for the universe’s brief growth spurt don’t conclusively show what researchers thought they did.

B-mode discovery telescope

Galaxies

Direct Evidence of Big Bang Inflation

Researchers with an experiment based at the South Pole have discovered the long-sought "smoking gun" for inflation. The signal was hidden in polarization patterns in the cosmic microwave background and confirms physicists' audacious theory of how the Big Bang happened.

BICEP-2 detector at the South Pole

Cosmology

"Proof of Inflationary Universe" to be Announced

Rumors are flying that the long-sought "smoking gun" for inflation has been found in polarization patterns in the cosmic microwave background. If so, it would confirm the inflation theory for how and why the Big Bang happened.