Analysis of cosmic microwave background radiation shows universe is isotropic
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.0210092
Science : Cosmologists have long held that the universe is isotropic—fundamentally the same in all directions. A new study of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation as mapped by the Planck spacecraft supports that assumption in the most stringent test yet. Daniela Saadeh and Andrew Pontzen of University College London and their colleagues used a supercomputer to look for CMB temperature and polarization patterns that would indicate a special direction in space. Based on their findings, the researchers estimate there is only a 1 in 121 000 chance that the universe is anisotropic. Their work increases the confidence in isotropism by an order of magnitude over previous analyses.