Episode VI: On the Threshold of Cosmology

The following sections are included:

• When “the Infinitely Small” Merges with “the Infinitely Large”

  • But what do we mean by “infinitely small” and “infinitely large”?

  • The limits of classical general relativity

• The Boson Goes Its Way … And François Goes His

  • Cosmology in the early seventies

  • First great discovery: The universe is expanding

  • Second great discovery: Cosmological background radiation

• Cosmology and Big Bang

  • But what can then be said about the Big Bang?

• Genesis According to Brout, Englert, Gunzig, and Spindel (BEGS)

  • What is vacuum?

  • Tracking the first quiver

  • The discovery of inflation

  • When Cosmology starts itching …

• A Fertile Haven within the ULB

  • The Prix Francqui

  • A speech sets off storm