PBS Space Time Season 2019 Episode 6 Secrets of the Cosmic Microwave Background

PBS Space Time season 2019's episode 6 titled "Secrets of the Cosmic Microwave Background" explores the origins and mysteries of the oldest light in the universe - the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). The episode begins by introducing the concept of the Big Bang theory and how it led to the formation of the universe as we know it today. The Big Bang theory proposes that the universe was created from a singular, massive explosion that happened around 13.8 billion years ago.

The episode then delves into how the CMB came into being. After the Big Bang, the universe was hot and dense, with no stars or galaxies. But as the universe expanded, it cooled down, and around 380,000 years after the Big Bang, the first light was emitted, which is the CMB. This light is incredibly faint, with a spectrum that spans from radio waves to microwaves, and can only be seen using specialized telescopes.

PBS Space Time season 2019's episode 6 then explains why the CMB is so important to cosmologists. The CMB provides a snapshot of the universe when it was just 380,000 years old, offering valuable insights into the universe's early history and its subsequent evolution. The CMB tells us that the universe was initially very uniform, with no significant variations in temperature or density. However, the seeds of the structure we see today were present in these tiny variations.

The episode then moves on to discuss the discovery of the CMB in 1964 by two radio astronomers, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson. The CMB was initially seen as unwanted noise in their experiments, but they soon realized its significance and won the Nobel Prize for their discovery. PBS Space Time season 2019's episode 6 also discusses the recent advancements in technology that have allowed scientists to study the CMB in greater detail, including the Planck satellite and the South Pole Telescope.

The episode then explores the various mysteries and questions surrounding the CMB. PBS Space Time season 2019's episode 6 addresses the apparent uniformity of the CMB, which raises the question of why the universe is structured the way it is. The episode also discusses the faint, unexplained pattern of anomalies in the CMB known as the "Axis of Evil," and the possible implications it may have for our understanding of the universe.

Finally, PBS Space Time season 2019's episode 6 concludes by summarizing the significance of the CMB, and its potential for helping us unlock some of the universe's greatest mysteries. The CMB has already provided us with valuable insights into the universe's early history, and scientists believe that it has much more to reveal. By studying the CMB, we can learn about the composition of the universe, its evolution, and the ultimate fate of everything in it.

Overall, PBS Space Time season 2019's episode 6 titled "Secrets of the Cosmic Microwave Background" is an informative, engaging, and visually stunning exploration of the oldest light in the universe and its significance to our understanding of the cosmos.