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Physics

We may be able to find magnetic fields from the start of the universe

By Jason Arunn Murugesu

11 December 2020

Magnetic fields — Magnetic fields around the Milky Way could shed new light on the big bang
NASA/SOFIA; Star field image: NASA/Hubble Space Telescope

Astronomers are on the hunt for magnetic fields in our galaxy that were born in the very early universe, because they could provide a new way to study the big bang.

“We’re not solving the puzzle of these fields but we’re kind of opening that door,” says Sergio Martin-Alvarez at the University of Cambridge.

Magnetic fields are thought to play an important role in star formation within galaxies, and the Milky Way is home to various types…

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