Perched at 5,250 meters in the Xizang Autonomous Region, a cutting-edge telescope has begun its quest to detect primordial gravitational waves – ripples in spacetime dating back to the universe's explosive birth. This scientific marvel, operating in one of Earth's driest and highest environments, offers unprecedented opportunities to study cosmic inflation theory and the moments following the Big Bang.
The facility's extreme elevation minimizes atmospheric interference, allowing researchers to capture faint microwave radiation patterns from 13.8 billion years ago. Professor Zhang Wei, lead astrophysicist at the National Astronomical Observatories of China, explains: 'This instrument acts as a time machine, helping us decode the universe's first trillionth of a second.'
International collaborators from Japan and European research institutions are contributing advanced detection technology to the project. The findings could reshape our understanding of fundamental physics while showcasing Asia's growing role in cutting-edge space research.
