This program is sponsored by the Covley Prize, which honors scientists for breakthroughs

in astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience.

The Covley Prize is a partnership among the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters,

the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, and the U.S.-based Covley Foundation in

Los Angeles, California.

I'm Alan Alder, and this is Clear and Vivid, Conversations about Connecting and Communicating.

Inflation is a proposed answer to the question, what was the bang of the big bang?

In the sense of what propelled the big bang, what is it that drove the universe into this period

of gigantic expansion, which we're still experiencing, the universe is still expanding?

What was the force that caused that to happen?

Alan Gooth was trying to figure out how to turn his PhD in Physics from MIT into a permanent

job when he had a flash of inspiration and came up with what may be the most audacious

and mind-boggling idea in all of science.

The idea was that our universe, starting from a tiny speck, inflated into the beginnings

of what it is today in an incomprehensibly brief instant, the bang of the big bang.

Even more astonishing, it seems to be true.

And in the same kind of startling instant, Alan went from being a wandering grad student

to one of the most sought-after physicists in the world.

Following his many awards is the 2014 Coffley Prize in Astrophysics.

He spoke to me via Zoom from his home in Boston.

Alan, this is so great to be able to talk with you today.

You have stimulated my thinking so much, that part of it that I understand.

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