Waves from the Big Bang

Premature hype over gravitational waves highlights gaping holes in models for the origins and evolution of the Universe, argues Paul Steinhardt.

Images of the infant Universe reveal evidence for rapid inflation after the Big Bang.

Lead discoverer John Kovac describes his work at the BICEP2 radio telescope and how his career took him there.

A beginner's guide to the BICEP2 discovery of primordial gravitational waves.

Top researchers react as the discovery of evidence for cosmic inflation ripples through the scientific community.

Big Bang findings would strengthen case for multiverse and all but rule out a 'cyclic Universe'.

Planck’s polarization map excludes region where it could have cross-checked BICEP2 findings on Big Bang.

Cosmologist casts doubt on BICEP2's analysis of cosmic microwaves, but the team stands by its conclusions.

Two analyses suggest signal of Big Bang ripples announced in March was too weak to be significant.

Astronomers publish results with clarification note as more questions are raised.

Planck probe's survey of polarized light casts further doubt on BICEP2's gravitational-wave discovery claims.

As the launch of the Planck spacecraft approaches, Eric Hand investigates what the mission could mean for the predominant theory of the moments after the Big Bang.

The cosmos is thought to be awash with gravitational waves to which humanity is, as yet, deaf. Trudy E. Bell reports on LISA, an experiment on an unprecedented scale designed to put that right.

After years of work in the Antarctic, John Kovac and his team have captured strong evidence for a long-held theory about the Universe’s birth.

The left-over radiation from the Big Bang has given up what may be its last great secret about the early Universe, but astronomers are determined to mine more from this primordial prize.

Graham Farmelo enjoys a 'biography' of the general theory of relativity.

Marianne de Laet enjoys a sociological analysis of how a select group of physicists works.

B-mode signal provides a way for astronomers to calculate neutrino masses.

Gravitons could be detectable in the cosmic microwave background.

Pulsar and white dwarf are spiralling towards each other at rate predicted by general relativity.

Radio telescopes vie with laser detectors to hunt for signs of massive cosmic collisions.

Space telescope culls exotic creation theories with ultra-precise microwave map.

Council scraps Clover project to hunt for Universe's polarization.

Experiments aimed at finding Einstein's elusive gravitational waves have reached their designed sensitivity. Yet we are still waiting for the first detection. What can we learn from this?

Discovering gravitational waves would not only validate Einstein's theory of gravitation but also reveal aspects of the Universe's earliest moments. The hunt for these elusive ripples is now well under way.

Cosmic gravitational waves could provide unprecedented information on the early Universe. The effects that are of interest are small, but experiments are gradually achieving a sensitivity that will test cosmological models.

Proof positive.

It's a bit of a shock.

A blast from the past.