FUNDAMENTAL ASYMMETRIES AND ENIGMAS IN MODERN COSMOLOGY: Matter-Antimatter Imbalance, the Cosmological Constant Problem, and Fast Radio Bursts
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This comprehensive review examines three fundamental enigmas in contemporary cosmology: the matter-antimatter asymmetry, the cosmological constant problem, and the phenomenon of fast radio bursts (FRBs). The matter-antimatter asymmetry represents one of the most profound puzzles in physics, as current theories predict equal quantities of matter and antimatter should have been produced during the Big Bang, yet our observable universe is dominated by matter. We explore the role of CP symmetry violation, particularly involving the weak force, and discuss how even minimal asymmetries of approximately one part per billion could account for all observable matter. The cosmological constant problem, often described as the worst theoretical prediction in physics, concerns the enormous discrepancy of up to 10^120 between quantum field theory predictions and astronomical observations of dark energy. We examine proposed solutions including quintessence models, modified gravity theories, and multiverse hypotheses. Finally, we analyze fast radio bursts, mysterious millisecond-duration radio emissions detected from extragalactic sources since 2007, discussing potential origins including magnetars, black holes, and more speculative possibilities. These phenomena collectively represent the cutting edge of cosmological research and demonstrate fundamental gaps in our understanding of the universe's composition, evolution, and behavior.
Author: SÉRGIO DE ANDRADE, PAULO
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7117258697
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