Three pioneering scientists have been named this year’s recipients of the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics for their research in the theory of cosmic inflation.

The 2014 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics is shared between Alan H. Guth, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, Andrei D. Linde, Stanford University, USA, and Alexei A. Starobinsky, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia. They receive the prize “for pioneering the theory of cosmic inflation”. The theory of cosmic inflation, proposed and developed by the three prize winners, has revolutionized our thinking about the Universe.

According to this theory, very soon after our Universe came into existence it underwent a short-lived phase of exponential expansion. During this brief period the Universe expanded by a huge factor — hence the name inflation. The consequences of this episode were momentous for the evolution of the cosmos.The field of inflation theory now occupies thousands of theorists, and many variations of inflation are being actively debated.

The Kavli Prize is awarded by The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and consists of a cash award of 1 million US dollars in each field. The laureates receive in addition a gold medal and a scroll. The announcement was made by Nils Chr. Stenseth, President of The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and transmitted live to New York as part of the opening event at the World Science Festival.

Links

• The Kavli prize page
• 2014 Kavli Prize Press Release

Contacts

Raquel Yumi Shida
IAU Press Officer Deputy
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 177
Email: rshida@eso.org