Cosmology Definition and 948 Threads

Cosmology (from Greek κόσμος, kosmos "world" and -λογία, -logia "study of") is a branch of astronomy concerned with the studies of the origin and evolution of the universe, from the Big Bang to today and on into the future. It is the scientific study of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe. Physical cosmology is the scientific study of the universe's origin, its large-scale structures and dynamics, and its ultimate fate, as well as the laws of science that govern these areas.The term cosmology was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's Glossographia, and in 1731 taken up in Latin by German philosopher Christian Wolff, in Cosmologia Generalis.Religious or mythological cosmology is a body of beliefs based on mythological, religious, and esoteric literature and traditions of creation myths and eschatology.
Physical cosmology is studied by scientists, such as astronomers and physicists, as well as philosophers, such as metaphysicians, philosophers of physics, and philosophers of space and time. Because of this shared scope with philosophy, theories in physical cosmology may include both scientific and non-scientific propositions, and may depend upon assumptions that cannot be tested. Cosmology differs from astronomy in that the former is concerned with the Universe as a whole while the latter deals with individual celestial objects. Modern physical cosmology is dominated by the Big Bang theory, which attempts to bring together observational astronomy and particle physics; more specifically, a standard parameterization of the Big Bang with dark matter and dark energy, known as the Lambda-CDM model.
Theoretical astrophysicist David N. Spergel has described cosmology as a "historical science" because "when we look out in space, we look back in time" due to the finite nature of the speed of light.

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  1. Garth

    Is Self Creation Cosmology a Viable Alternative to the Standard Model?

    After an abortive start in the new IR Forum I am beginning a new thread on the published theory of Self Creation Cosmology. There has already been many posts on the subject in PF and I apologise for any repetition, but having been asked to post it here in A&C I here make a clean start! The...
  2. turbo

    Burbidge's Cosmology: Overcoming Inertia in Science

    I do not subscribe to all of his ideas, nor Arp's, but I wholeheartedly encourage the epistemology that is sorely lacking in today's physics. We had to wait a LONG time before Einstein's model of gravitation overtook Newton's (and still NASA can do a pretty nice job using Newtonian...
  3. C

    Cosmology: the scinece on the universe.

    Hi, everybody, I am planning to write an article titled "cosmology: the scinece on the universe". So far I have written about 40 pages. I want to share/check my ideas with you. Abstract of the article looks as follows: Every object in the universe, living or non living, changes with time...
  4. ohwilleke

    Recent Astronomy & Cosmology Research Topics

    What are the hot topics in astronomy and cosmology as measured by production of recent academic papers? I'm not looking for an exact number, just a relative ranking with some sense of order of magnitude. My motive is to get at the whole mainstream v. non-mainstream issue in a way that...
  5. SpaceTiger

    Is the Universe Really Expanding?

    With all the crazy ideas that get thrown around in this forum, I thought it would be good to step back and review the mainstream view on cosmology in 2005. The field is advancing very rapidly, so it's possible that even the most reliable websites will be woefully out of date, both in terms of...
  6. turbo

    A nice reality check on cosmology.

    Ned Wright lecture at KITP: http://online.itp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/wright1/
  7. B

    So confused: Tensors and reletivistic cosmology

    I'm on the verge of ripping my hair out :mad: I understand the basics of tensors but I just can't get my head around the need have having contra and covariant vectors.. what is the point??! A vector is a vector right? why have a sub and superscripts why can't they just stick to one or the...
  8. Chronos

    Armchair Cosmology: Djorgovski & Williams Examine Virtual Observatories

    I thought this was pretty interesting: http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0504006 Title: Virtual Observatory: From Concept to Implementation Authors: S.G. Djorgovski, R. Williams Is this the beginning of an era of armchair cosmology?
  9. K

    Is Science Limited in Explaining the Universe's Origins?

    HA! To believe that the universe was created and "runs" via some infinite intellegence if you would prefer to call it need not be just dismissed by saying it can not be discussed here because it is "religious!". FACTS are FACTS, for every x questions the so-called scientists answer with some...
  10. Chronos

    Can We Really Understand the Universe? A Look at the Current State of Cosmology

    Being lazy by nature, I am always on the lookout for new papers that dip far enough below the technosphere to be comprehended by mere mortals - without descending to the tabloid level. This recent entry makes my 'must read' list: http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0503107 Understanding Our Universe...
  11. marcus

    New overview of cosmology for Ashtekar's book

    A worldclass cosmologist, Thanu Padmanabhhan, has come out with one of these surveys of cosmology for general audience, that a senior cosmologist may do every now and then. It is going to be a 30 page chapter in Abhay Ashtekar's Einstein Centennial book "A Hundred Years of Relativity"...
  12. K

    New cosmology - dark energy unnecessary

    Hello Marcus, selfAdjoint, nightcleaner, Chronos, setAI and others I think the following speaks for itself Viable exact model universe without dark energy from primordial inflation David L. Wiltshire http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0503099 Regards Kea :wink:
  13. marcus

    SciAm Lineweaver cosmology article, March issue

    http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=1&articleID=0009F0CA-C523-1213-852383414B7F0147 we've referenced the clear and useful journal articles of Charles Lineweaver and Tamara Davis a lot at PF over the past couple of years Glad to see that they now have a feature article in...
  14. B

    Crisis in Cosmology: CCC-I Conference Challenges Observations

    The cosmology is in crisis. You may see this 1st Crisis In Cosmology Conference (CCC-I): Challenging Observations and the Quest for a New Picture of the Universe http://www.cosmology.info What do you think?
  15. wolram

    Cosmology: Sales Pitch or Science?

    Is cosmology a sales pitch or science? i am baffled by the conflicting observations, you all know, without explanation what i mean, yes or no, is good in between not so good. an honest appraisal would be welcome
  16. D

    Astronomy & Cosmology: What's the Difference?

    What is the difference?
  17. Garth

    CCC-I: Challenging Observations & New Picture of the Universe

    There will be a conference entitled 1st Crisis In Cosmology Conference (CCC-I) Any takers? Garth
  18. S

    CMB, Sky Surveys, & Computational Cosmology

    Recently, several groups have endeavored to experimentally map the large-scale structure of the Universe with the Sloan Survey being the most ambitious. At the same time, we've been able to map the cosmic microwave background to 10^-6 degrees. I believe these two maps agree but I'm confused...
  19. N

    Testing cosmology, without assuming GR?

    Regular readers to GA&C here in PF will know only too well that some of our prolific posters feel the mainstream work is rather too heavily model-laden for their taste ... and others that this characterisation quite unfair. Wrt those who are comfortable with the redshifts of galaxies (and SN)...
  20. turbo

    ZPE energy levels and cosmology.

    In a post below relating to Hawking radiation, Chronos linked to a page that expressed the existence of virtual pairs as a product of energy and time limited by the Heisenbug uncertainty principle: \Delta E\Delta t\geq\frac{\hbar}{2} This simplified view neatly illustrates one of the...
  21. kneemo

    Brane Gas Cosmology: Calculations & Analysis in 11D Supergravity

    Greetings everyone I recently attended a lecture discussing brane gas cosmology, where it was mentioned that a recent calculation showed 3-dimensional branes were the most likely type of brane to form. Can someone please refer me to the paper which includes this calculation? Also, is...
  22. marcus

    What is Sean Carroll's Cosmology Primer?

    Sean Carroll has posted a Cosmology Primer explaining contemporary cosmology for general audience It could be very handy for us to have at PF to refer to. Here, for example, is the FAQ http://pancake.uchicago.edu/~carroll/cfcp/primer/faq.html for other sections, go to the TOC and click on...
  23. N

    Europe's long term plans for cutting edge astronomy and cosmology research

    "Review of Cosmic Vision 2015-2025" begins: "The Cosmic Vision workshop at UNESCO on 15-16 September 2004 showed that Europe is richer than ever in ideas for what should be done in space science in the coming years. This workshop brought us a major step forward in developing the vision of the...
  24. Chronos

    Is cosmology in constant trouble?

    This should stir up some lively discussion. http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0405630 CAUTION: Not suitable for audiences who habitually memorize all the tables in the back of the textbook.
  25. marcus

    Unruh: Loop Quantum Cosmology paper (new)

    http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0408074 Bill Unruh has been doing some LQC research Looking at the positive curvature case Bojowald and friends mostly looked at the spatially flat case Unruh found some interesting difficulties with the positive curved universe, especially the kind that...
  26. K

    Dirac,large numbers and cosmology

    A very interesting interview with Paul Dirac on his large numbers hypothesis which relates to cosmology http://www.fdavidpeat.com/interviews/dirac.htm
  27. S

    Exploring the Mysteries of Cosmology: From Expansion Speeds to Light's Limit

    Hi. I just wanted you to tell me does exactly cosmology means? and about the works done in it. thanks in advanced. somy :smile:
  28. Garth

    Self Creation Cosmology - a new gravitational theory

    Dear forum members, may I post on this Forum my questions about GR and a brief description and link to my work in which they are answered? Questions of General Relativity (Also posted on the Special and General Relativity Forum) 1. In the presence of gravitational fields the...
  29. marcus

    Oscillatory Universes in Loop Quantum Cosmology

    this just out: http://arxiv.org/gr-qc/0406042 Oscillatory Universes in Loop Quantum Cosmology and Initial Conditions for Inflation James E. Lidsey, David J. Mulryne, N. J. Nunes, Reza Tavakol 6 pages, 4 figures LQC continues attracting new researchers: these people are newcomers...
  30. E

    Reinventing the Universe: Thacker Cosmology

    here is an alternative cosmology site I found on the net the theories outlined here should keep you busy for a while since the site is copyright protected I will only post the link and not the actual text from the site Reinventing the Universe take the time to read each theory...
  31. marcus

    Discussing Braneworld Cosmology & Its Collisions

    I personally don't follow braneworld cosmology, but there could be a thread about. It interests enough people here to have a discussion IMO A possible thread-starter is a recent post by sol2 which has some beautiful images, or links thereto, tho not necessarily directly connected to...
  32. H

    Searching for a Comprehensive Cosmology Reference Guide

    I am searching for a complete and extensive reference (or a reference set) about cosmology. It should be up to date and, if possible, with not too much formulas without proofs. It seams there are two classical books: Principles of Physical Cosmology, Peebles. Cosmological Physics, Peacock...
  33. Loren Booda

    The essential participator in quantum mechanics and cosmology

    Newton was separate from his clockwork universe; in the last century we have realized that we experimenters really subjectify the outcome of our experiment by attempting to exclude ourselves from it. Both quantum mechanics and cosmology involve an observer who participates by disturbing an...
  34. R

    String Cosmology Review Paper?

    Hi all, I'm looking for a good review on how string theory accounts for inflation. I found a great review on 'classical' inflation by Linde explaining the paradigms in terms of GR and scalar fields but am looking for a good introductory review in terms of the string paradigm. I'm hoping to...
  35. B

    An ignorant question about cosmology

    so the farther we look the more redshift we see in distant galaxies, but the farther we look the farther in time we look as well. so in other words, the farther back in time we go the faster galaxies appear to be moving away from us - the closer in time the slower...wouldnt' that implicate a...
  36. wolram

    Is Self Creation Cosmology the Key to Solving Cosmological Mysteries?

    http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0401136 The theory of Self Creation Cosmology is described and found to be as concordant as the standard cosmological 'concordance model' with local experiments and cosmological observations. However it does not require the speculative hypotheses of inflation...
  37. A

    Could someone tell me what is the best school in cosmology and high energy?

    I want to pursue for a Ph.D in these area.
  38. G

    Variable Speed of Light Cosmology: An Alternative to Inflation

    Does anyone know if VSL theories are being seriously researched, studied, and pursued? -Glenn
  39. marcus

    Can Loop Quantum Gravity Explain Inflation and the CMB?

    Some new names (new to me anyway) Shinji Tsujikawa (has published with Robert Brandenberger, background in string research now interested in loop gravity) Roy Maartens (also string background, has published with Ellis) Parampreet Singh (one of the new LQG people in India) "Loop quantum...
  40. N

    Astronomy, Cosmology, and physics of old

    How do we know that the physics we can do in labs here on Earth today is the same physics in galaxies a long time ago and far, far away? Take a collection of your favourite theories - the gravity of Newton, the electromagnetism of Maxwell, the quantum world of Schrödinger and Heisenberg...
  41. P

    Conceptional space/time cosmology

    In this theory a theoretical model is constructed for observation. (This is the first of a series) A: Space devoid of matter. B: Matter devoid of space. C: Space and Matter. In reply to "A" Is absolute space possible, a void with non-existing matter? has it been proven? can it...
  42. marcus

    New On-line Cosmology Calculator

    An astronomy prof who teaches at a University in Iowa maintains a resource page of online astro java applets for students and general public to use and one of the applets is "cosmology calculator" http://www.earth.uni.edu/~morgan/ajjar/Cosmology/cosmos.html Here is her homepage...
  43. marcus

    Lineweaver(May 2003)-web's best cosmology tutorial

    Lineweaver(May 2003)--web's best cosmology tutorial http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/March03/Lineweaver/Lineweaver_contents.html I've been using Ned Wright's (UCLA astronomy dept) cosmology tutorial and FAQ a lot, but this new one is even better for some things---more up to date...
  44. marcus

    Ashtekar quantum cosmology paper new this month

    What I suspect is a major paper by Ashtekar (and others) appeared in arXiv this month----on June 9. Mathematical structure of loop quantum cosmology Ashtekar, Bojowald, Lewandowski arXiv:gr-qc/0304074 http://www.arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0304074 Here is the concluding paragraph: "We...
  45. marcus

    What's your favorite brief survey of modern cosmology?

    http://www.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0202008 Here is a good overview of cosmology describing the evidence for the present model, the open questions, and what ongoing observations can be expected to resolve over the next decade. The writing is rigorous and for fellow profesionals (no effort at...
  46. T

    What is the best book on cosmology for all levels of knowledge?

    I would be thankful to you, if you tell me which book do you consider to be best, on the subject of cosmology, for: 1. Begineers 2. Intermediates 3. Advanced Thanks in advanced.
  47. marcus

    A great 16 page paper in quantum cosmology

    http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/hep-th/9910146 This is only 16 pages and in PDF so easy to print out. It is by Fotini Markopoulou and Lee Smolin and it is called "Holography in a quantum spacetime" I nominate it for the landmark eureka paper of 1999. String theory and branes are on the run...
  48. W

    Cosmology Q: Is Flat Universe w/ Dust & +ve Lambda Expanding Forever?

    Is it true that for an isotropic, homogeneous flat universe with dust and a positive cosmological constant, the universe necessarily expands forever? The argument may be, (a_t/a)^2 = (8*pi*G/3)*rho + lambda/3 (Friedmann equation) where a_t refers to the first derivative of a with...
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