New Books Network Craig Hogan, "The Unlikely Primeval Sky" (American Scientist, November-December)
Nov 13, 2025
Astrophysicist Craig Hogan, a professor at the University of Chicago and former director at Fermilab, dives into the mysteries of our universe. He unpacks the cosmic microwave background (CMB), revealing how it acts as a window to the early universe and why its smoothness is so surprising. Hogan also discusses the implications of general relativity on cosmic expansion and explores theoretical anomalies that challenge our understanding. He invites listeners to ponder the big questions of existence while weaving in the latest findings in cosmology.
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CMB As The Universe's Afterglow
- Craig Hogan recounts how the CMB discovery revealed the sky is full of microwaves since the universe's early hot phase.
- He likens the CMB's last-scattering surface to the visible surface of a star.
Unexpected Smoothness Of The Primordial Sky
- The CMB is anomalously smooth on the largest angular scales compared with random-noise predictions.
- This large-scale uniformity is statistically unlikely and suggests missing physics in standard models.
Small Versus Large-Scale CMB Paradox
- Small-scale CMB fluctuations match predictions and seed galaxy formation.
- Large-angle correlations are far smaller than random models predict, implying a potential new symmetry.