The Universe as a physics laboratory

By observing light emitted over the past 13.7 billion years, astronomers and astrophysicists can study our cosmic origins.

October 18, 2010

By observing light emitted over the past 13.7 billion years, astronomers and astrophysicists can study our cosmic origins. Incredibly, 96% of the Universe is unobservable: made of mysterious dark entities that apparently defy both observation and fundamental physics. A phalanx of powerful new telescopes, combined with our ability to detect gravitational radiation, is set to make the next decade significant in the history of astronomy.

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