A learner’s guide to the universe
Theoretical astrophysicist Avi Loeb has a pretty good idea about how the universe’s first galaxies formed, but he can’t wait to see if his theories are right. Loeb, chair of the Harvard Astronomy Department and the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science, said a new wave of telescopes expected to come online over the next decade will allow astronomers to look deeper into the universe — and thus farther back in time — than ever before. That new data will test theories about how early stars and galaxies formed, Loeb said. And, he added, it won’t be the worst thing in the world if some of his own theories are proven wrong. “I would be excited if that happens because it means we will have learned something new,” Loeb said. “Human imagination is limited and nature is full of surprises, so we should keep an open mind.” Loeb is helping prepare the next...