Squeezing Down the Theory Space for Cosmic Inflation

PBS Spacetime did an episode on another method for measuring the Gravitational Wave Background (GWB)[0] which is using milli-second pulsar array to create a massive "LIGO".

Would be super interesting to confirm via independent method that GWB doesn't exist. If the implication for this is inflation is no longer viable that would be crazy/amazing pointing to new understandings.

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9L_gNogNes

This is quite interesting. As a theorist, I have 100% confidence in inflation. The problem of inflation is that there are too many variations on the idea, if we can begin to throw away at least some classes of models it is a big progress. But probably we will start seeing lots and lots of new models producing small r ratios ;-)

I'm currently reading "The big bang never happened" by Eric Lerner which makes a case for a plasma theory of the universe. Even though I'm a physicist by training I don't know enough about the subject to make an assessment.

He made a youtube series about it that is... well let's say he focused on the content rather than production value.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KkhRibBllU&list=PLBg1fqjrUV...