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Alan Guth gives Newton Lecture 2009
Institute of Physics Press Release
PR 58(09)
Mon, 19 October 2009
The inventor of the inflationary universe model and this year’s Institute of Physics (IOP)’s Isaac Newton Medal winner, Professor Alan Guth from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, gave the Newton Lecture 2009 on Tuesday, 13 October.
His lecture, ‘Inflationary cosmology: is our universe part of a multiverse?’ was watched by physics students, academics, keen amateurs and a range of science dignitaries.
In the lecture, Guth discussed the evidence for his inflation modification of the big bang theory. His modification explains how the universe went through a period of exponential expansion in its very early history.
Moving onto the idea of a multiverse, Guth’s model predicts perpetual inflation and new “pocket universes”.
Guth also discussed the idea of environmental selection, aka the anthropic principle, which holds that we see a universe capable of supporting intelligent life because if it were different we wouldn’t be around to see it.
Guth recommended that the anthropic principle should be used only as an explanation of last resort, and why the principle disappoints many physicists who believe they should be able to predict fundamental values, and explained why he holds out some hope for answers from string theory.
Asked whether Guth himself believes in a multiverse, he replied, “Your guess is as good as mine. It’s certainly time to take the idea seriously.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. For further inform information, contact IOP Press Officer, Joe Winters, on 020 7470 4815 or email joseph.winters@iop.org
The Newton Medal and Lecture
2. The Isaac Newton medal is the Institute of Physics’ only international medal and can be awarded to any physicist and can be awarded to any physicist, regardless of subject area, background or nationality, for outstanding contribution to physics.
Professor Alan H Guth, Victor F Weisskopf Professor of Physics at Massachsetts Institute of Technology is only the second recip[ient of this award, which was instituted in 2008. He receives it for his invention of the inflationary universe model, his recognition that inflation would solve major problems confronting then-standard cosmology, and his calculation, with others, of the spectrum of denisty fluctuations that gave rise to structure in the universe.
Each year, the medallist may be invited to give a lecture; the Newton Lecture
The Institute of Physics
3. The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of more than 36 000 and is a leading communicator of physics-related science to all audiences, from specialists through to government and the general public. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic dissemination of physics. Go to www.iop.org.
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