George Becker - Cosmic Climate Change

A team of astronomers, led by St. John's College Research Associate Dr. George Becker, has found evidence of climate change on a truly astronomical scale.

Using light from distant quasars the team was able to measure the temperature of intergalactic gas, finding evidence of a "warming trend" early in the history of the Universe.

Becker comments, "Of course, the temperatures we measured are a bit different than what you find on Earth. One billion years after the Big Bang, the gas we measured was a 'cool' 8,000 degrees Celcius. By three and a half billion years the temperature had climbed to at least 12,000 degrees Celcius."

This runs counter to normal cosmic climate patterns, as the Universe is expected to cool down over time as it expands. It is thought that the quasars themselves, energetic objects powered by giant black holes, are the culprits for this effect.

More information is available on the Kalvi Institute of Cosmology press release page. This research was also featured in issue 2786 of New Scientist.