The origin of the universe and nuclear synthesis

Abstract

The origin of the universe and nuclear synthesis are discussed in this paper. The concept of the “Big Bang” is introduced in cosmology from observational evidence that the universe is expanding. The language of elementary particle physics is used to describe the evolution of the universe starting at a very small fraction of a second after the "Big Bang”. Various “Eras” are identified during which certain nuclear processes predominate. At a later stage the remarkable nuclear synthesis of carbon takes place, leading to the evolution of other elements. Neutrino measurements are important to validate physical theories in this field and some results of such measurements by the WITS-CSIR Schonland Research Centre are presented.