Cosmologists in Cambridge have been comparing and combining data from various kinds of cosmological observations made by different research teams in order to understand the universe better. They, and other cosmologists around the world, are generally finding excellent agreement between many different lines of research. In particular they find that the universe consists of roughly equal amounts of matter and the mysterious, self-repelling energy called 'the cosmological constant' or, more recently, 'dark energy'. They also find that the universe is about 14 billion years old.
More work is needed to iron out some remaining disgreements.
Many independent techniques are used to tackle basic questions about the universe, such as whether it will go on expanding for ever, but in recent years cosmologists have recognised that many of the answers are not going to come from any one method alone. The information from many different sources must be combined. Comparing results from many independent approaches also helps to test whether assumptions routinely used by cosmologists are correct. The fact that there is such remarkable agreement is excellent news for the most popular theory - the 'Big Bang' followed by a period by a period of 'inflation', when the universe rapidly increased in size. Work by the Cambridge team, consisting of PhD student Sarah Bridle, Dr Ofer Lahav, Dr Anthony Lasenby, and Dr Mike Hobson, is to be presented on Friday 11th August at a Symposium during the 24th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Manchester.