The following passage is adapted from an article about the history of astrophysics and cosmology.
[Paragraph 2] (lines 12–23)
In 1964, radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson set out to measure radio signals from the spaces between galaxies using a highly sensitive horn antenna. Instead of clean data, they encountered a persistent, low-frequency hum that remained constant regardless of where they pointed the instrument. They meticulously ruled out potential sources of interference: they shielded the antenna from terrestrial broadcasts, cooled their receiver with liquid helium, and even scrubbed away debris left by nesting pigeons. Despite these efforts, the background noise persisted. This annoying static, which they eventually realized was the cosmic microwave background radiation—the thermal remnant of the universe’s creation—provided the first empirical support for the Big Bang theory, fundamentally altering the field of cosmology.
Which of the following statements best describes the main idea of Paragraph 2 (lines 12–23)?
- AModern astronomy relies heavily on radio telescopes and advanced equipment to observe distant celestial phenomena.
- BPenzias and Wilson spent considerable time cleaning and maintaining their sensitive horn antenna to eliminate pigeon debris.
- A persistent experimental anomaly eventually led to a breakthrough discovery that revolutionized our understanding of the universe.Cevap
- DPenzias and Wilson designed a new horn antenna specifically to detect the heat left over from the creation of the universe.