On this day in space: March 31, 2005: The Alpher-Bethe-Gamow letter, titled "The Origin of Chemical Elements, " was published in the journal Physical Review.
Though scientists had posited the idea of a Big Bang as the origin of the universe, in competition with a so-called "steady state" universe, the letter lent credibility to the concept of a "hot Big Bang."
In the letter, Ralph Alpher, then a physics PhD student, and his advisor George Gamow laid out a mathematical framework of how the inflation of the infant universe could forge the first elements, predominantly hydrogen and helium.
Why are we not crediting Hans Bethe, whose name is also featured on the paper? He didn't actually write it, though he would play a vital role in the development of the theory down the road.
Gamow persuaded Bethe to include his name because the idea of the authors' names resembling the Greek letters alpha, beta, gamma amused him.
Perhaps that is fitting for revolutionary research published on April Fool's Day.
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