Yesterday (20 May) marked the 50th anniversary of the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation – one of the strongest pieces of evidence supporting the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe.
This discovery in 1964 by Bell Labs scientists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson earned the researchers a Nobel Prize in Physics and provided the basis for future astronomical discoveries.
Penzias and Wilson were conducting experiments with the Holmdel Horn Antenna, an extremely sensitive device originally used to detect radio waves that were bounced off Echo balloon satellites, and later the Telstar, the first active communications satellite. These radio waves were so weak, that it became critical to eliminate all possible interference in order to detect them.
Despite taking all conceivable steps to eliminate interference, they continually detected a strange, buzzing noise that was coming from all parts of the sky at all times of day and night. They did a range of additional testing on the equipment, and even removed some pigeons that were nesting in the antenna and their associate detritus. Still, the sound persisted. They ultimately determined that the noise was coming from outside of our galaxy.
Almost by chance, they later learned that researchers astrophysicists Robert Dicke, Jim Peebles and David Wilkinson at nearby Princeton University were looking for a way to detect residual radiation that they believed would have resulted from the Big Bang. As it turned out, the radiation detected by Penzias and Wilson was a perfect match for what the Princeton researchers had predicted, and hence made history.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Bell Labs – now the research arm of Alcatel-Lucent – is launching a program to expand the scope of innovation at Bell Labs, in keeping with being the world’s pre-eminent research organisation in the field of information and communications networking.
At the heart of this programme is the introduction of the Bell Labs Prize, a competition that will give any researcher, in participating countries around the globe, the chance to introduce their ideas to the world, and collaborate with
world-renowned Bell Labs researchers.
The Bell Labs Prize winners will take home cash awards worth as much as $100 000, and the chance to further develop their ideas at Bell Labs, where possible.
“I am excited to see the ideas that come to light through this process, and to introduce many talented young scientists and engineers into the Bell Labs community,” says Marcus Weldon, president of Bell Labs and CTO of Alcatel-Lucent. “They will be joining some of the brightest scientists, engineers and mathematicians in the world, who continue to develop world-changing innovations.”
The Bell Labs Prize will reward 10 game-changing proposals in the field of information and communications technologies and related software systems and applications. The competition is open to anyone in one of the participating countries, who “owns” an idea and meets the eligibility requirements.
Three prize winners will receive a grant of either $100 000 (grand prize), $50 000 (second place) or $25 000 (third place). Additionally, through the process, Bell Labs may engage with other contest participants as part of the company’s recruitment investment in top talent. The deadline to enter the contest is 15 July 2014.
