In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists have used ground-based telescopes to observe light from the early universe, dating back over 13 billion years. This marks a significant step in understanding the Cosmic Dawn, a period in the universe's history that has been difficult to study.
Researchers, including those from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Chicago, utilized telescopes located in the Andes Mountains of Chile. They measured polarized microwave light to study the Cosmic Dawn. This research used data from the Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor (CLASS) project, comparing it with data from the Planck and WMAP space missions.
By analyzing the common signal, scientists can determine the 'cosmic glare' from light interacting with the early universe. These findings, published in June 2025, will refine our understanding of the cosmic microwave background and the early universe, potentially shedding light on dark matter and neutrinos.