The Origin of the Universe

by John D. Barrow

Published 3 October 1994
There was immense excitement in the scientific community and among the general public when the COBE space probe sent back data that proved not only that the Big Bang had happened, but also that it had happened at more or less exactly the time that astronomers had calculated. The author describes these findings and then goes on to discuss what more we can expect to learn about so remote an event. What is the nature of the evidence that could be found? Are there any more observations to be made, with present or imaginable technology, or is there nothing left but untestable theorizing?