The Latest WMAP Results
As scientists gain understanding of the universe of the details of the universe’s features, their knowledge bodes well for the biblically consistent class of big bang models. In early March, the WMAP science team released their latest results derived from five years of data. A few weeks ago, I discussed how WMAP continues to produce new scientific results and highlighted the discovery of an important neutrino component of the early universe.
Here are the best results from WMAP:
- The age of the universe: to = 13.73 ± 0.12 billion years.
- Dark energy density: ΩΛ = 72.1 ± 1.5%
- Dark matter density: Ωdm = 23.3 ± 1.3%
- Baryonic (or normal) matter density: Ωb = 4.62 ± 0.15%
- Curvature of the universe: -0.0175 < Ωk < 0.0085
- Hubble constant: Ho = 70.1 ± 1.3 km/s/Mpc
- Spectral index of CMB fluctuations: ns = 0.960 (+ 0.014, – 0.013)
This last feature (number 7) impacts cosmological models in two important ways. First, any model without an inflationary period in the early universe, would have required a value of ns equal to one in order to produce the galaxies and clusters of galaxies seen by astronomers today. Thus, a measured value of ns different from one confirms a generic prediction of all inflationary models. Second and more importantly, a value less than one begins to rule out large classes of inflationary models including Andre Linde’s chaotic inflation model.
An interesting analogy arises when looking at the history of cosmologies based on general relativity. When Einstein first proposed the theory of general relativity (GR), it generically predicted an expanding or contracting cosmos. Although Einstein developed a static cosmology based on GR, Edwin Hubble’s measurement of the expansion falsified this model and led to the development of big bang, steady-state, and oscillating cosmologies. Eventually, astronomical observations ruled out all but big bang models. Consequently, cosmologists developed many variations of big bang models.
I wanted to point out how scientific testing has verified those models consistent with the biblical description of the universe (the big bang models) and falsified those which were inconsistent (steady-state and oscillating models). Therefore, RTB’s creation model rests on firm scientific ground in regards to the formation and development of the universe.
Now, all viable big bang models included an inflationary epoch. Past and future observations will continue to test various inflationary descriptions of the universe. RTB expects these tests to falsify those versions of inflation which contradict the biblical description and confirm some of the versions which support the biblical description.