RESEARCH FIELD

Cosmology

Cosmology is the scientific study of the origin, evolution, large-scale structure, and ultimate fate of the universe. Modern observational cosmology rests on the cosmic microwave background — the thermal afterglow of the Big Bang measured with exquisite precision by WMAP and Planck satellites — and on galaxy surveys that map the large-scale distribution of matter across billions of light-years. Theoretical cosmology builds the Lambda CDM standard model, describing the universe composition as roughly 5 percent baryonic matter, 27 percent dark matter, and 68 percent dark energy. Active research frontiers include inflationary cosmology, the nature of dark matter candidates including WIMPs and axions, the dark energy equation of state, and tensions in cosmological parameter measurements. Next-generation surveys including the Vera Rubin Observatory, Euclid satellite, and DESI spectroscopic survey will provide transformative datasets. Funding is primarily from space agencies including NASA and ESA and national physics programmes.