Thursday, January 25, 2024

RIP Arno Penzias -- Co-discoverer of the Big Bang Cosmic Background Radiaton

 

Penzias on the right

Here it the Penzias Obituary:
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/24/1226572843/arno-penzias-obituary-big-bang-theory

I think this is one of the best troubleshooting events in radio history:  they thought at one point that what they were hearing was the result of pigeon poop in the antenna.  Turns out they were hearing radiation from the birth of the universe. 

And here is a wonderful 2014 6 minute podcast with Penzias and his co-discoverer Robert Wilson:
 
https://www.npr.org/2014/05/20/314239930/big-bangs-afterglow-two-scientists-recall-their-big-discovery

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1 comment:

  1. KK4DASJanuary 26, 2024 at 1:45 PM

    Favorite quote - "the most humane solution to the pigeons was a box of 12 guage shotgun shells." It is one of the most remarkable discoveries in history - made more remarkable because they weren't looking for it!

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