Book 26, Question 19 · Video
How did a noisy antenna reveal the afterglow of the Big Bang?
In 1964, scientists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were using a huge horn-shaped antenna in New Jersey. They heard a steady hiss that would not go away. They cleaned out pigeon droppings and checked everything, but the hiss stayed. It was ancient heat left from the early universe, the cosmic microwave background. They earned a Nobel Prize for the discovery.
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What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How did a noisy antenna reveal the afterglow of the Big Bang?
The Big Idea
Two scientists heard a strange hiss from space. They tried everything to get rid of it! It turned out to be a giant discovery.
The Hiss
Step one: The Hiss. In 1964, scientists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were using a huge horn-shaped antenna in New Jersey. They heard a steady hiss that would not go away.
Checking
Step two: Checking. They cleaned out pigeon droppings and checked everything. But the hiss stayed.
Ancient Heat
Step three: Ancient Heat. It was ancient heat left from the early universe, called the cosmic microwave background. They earned a Nobel Prize for the discovery.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! The universe began hot. Heat spread out. It cooled across space. Antennas detect it.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! The signal they heard has been traveling for over 13 billion years. Pigeons were not to blame. They kept listening. They won a Nobel Prize.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Ask a grown-up about old TV sets. Between channels, the screen showed fuzzy snow. A tiny part of that snow, about one percent, was the afterglow of the Big Bang. Isn't that amazing? Draw an old TV with snow.
Outro
A noisy antenna revealed the Big Bang's afterglow when Penzias and Wilson heard a hiss that wouldn't go away. It was ancient heat from the early universe. Science is amazing! The world is full of surprises. Keep asking big questions, and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!