Essay for the 'Why the Universe is the way it is?' - David Chapple 16th April to 18th June 2009: Fine-Structure Constant
Modern research in cosmology takes advantage of sophisticated telescopes and powerful computers to shed light on some of the most fundamental questions about the origin, properties and destiny of the Universe.
This course will explain how scientists can test the hot Big Bang model by observing objects and phenomena out to the very edge of the cosmos. Topics covered will include the first instants of the life of the Universe, the origin and growth of galactic structures, the properties and nature of dark matter and dark energy as well as some of newest, most speculative ideas about the cosmos, such as the existence of extra dimensions and of hidden Universes.
This course will explain how scientists can test the hot Big Bang model by observing objects and phenomena out to the very edge of the cosmos. Topics covered will include the first instants of the life of the Universe, the origin and growth of galactic structures, the properties and nature of dark matter and dark energy as well as some of newest, most speculative ideas about the cosmos, such as the existence of extra dimensions and of hidden Universes.
Why should our Universe be the way it is ? It doesn't have to be this way, because the laws that govern it might have been different, and the values of the physical constants that determine how the laws operate could varied very small amounts, then life couldn't have existed. We examine the strange 'fine tuning' of the Universe by analysing the dependence of our existence on the narrow range that these constants are allowed to occupy and ask why it is that our Universe happens to be this way. We also consider what would happen if the values were to change, and examine the three possible explanations for this phenomenon. The course assumes no previous background in cosmology, and is open to all. All scientific ideas will be carefully introduced and explained during the course.