186 The Big Bang

Gamow decided to use available physics, mathematics, and quantum theory tools to
prove whether the universe began as a single immeasurably dense atom called the cosmic
egg. He started with Einsteins equations on general relativity.
In the 1940s Gamow added his own earlier work, which showed that the suns nuclear
furnace was driven by the conversion of hydrogen nuclei into helium. He used the mathematics of this model to determine what would happen to various atoms in a primordial fireball. He used research from the development of the atomic bomb and test data on
high-energy radiation of various nuclei to describe what happened inside a fire of almost
infinite temperature.
From these sources, he slowly built a model of the cosmic eggs explosion and of the
chemical reactions that happened in the seconds thereafter. He called that explosion the
Big Bang and mathematically showed how, at that moment, the universe had been composed primarily of densely packed neutrons. This allowed him to use available studies
showing how neutrons, under extreme heat and pressure, combine into larger nuclei and
also separate into protons and electrons, forming hydrogen and helium as they do.
Gamow was able to mathematically trace this cosmic explosion forward in time. This
description included a detailed, second-by-second picture of the fireball explosion and
showed, according to known physics and chemistry laws, how that explosion resulted in the
composition and distribution of matter that makes up the present universe.
Gamow also showed that the Big Bang would have created a vast surge of energy that
spread and cooled as the universe expanded. But this energy would still be out there and
could be detected as a faint afterglow or echo of that great explosion. This echo would
show up as a band of noise at 5K.
This cosmic background radiation was finally detected in the late 1990s by advanced
radio astronomers, which confirmed Gamows Big Bang theory. Using physics, chemistry,
and math, Gamow had discovered the birth of the universe, 15 billion years ago.
Fun Facts: Gamow was an imposing figure at six feet, three inches and
over 225 pounds but was known for his impish practical jokes. He was
once described as the only scientist in America with a real sense of humor by a United Press International reporter.

More to Explore
Alpher, Ralph. Genesis of the Big Bang. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
Barrow, John. The Origin of the Universe. New York: Basic Books, 1994.
Fox, Karen. The Big Bang: What Is It, Where Does It Come From, and Why It Works.
New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2002.
Gribbin, John. In Search of the Big Bang. London: Heinemann, 1986.
Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time. New York: Bantam Books, 1988.
Longair, Malcolm. The Origins of the Universe. New York: Cambridge University
Press, 1990.

More to Explore 187

Munitz, Milton, ed. Theories of the Universe: From Babylonian Myths to Modern Science. New York: Free Press, 2001.
Rees, Martin. Before the Beginning: Our Universe and Others. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1997.
Silk, Joseph. The Big Bang, 3d ed. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman, 2001.
Weinberg, Steven. The First Three Minutes. New York: Basic Books, 1987.