Vol. 4 No. 2 (2023): Primordial Universe

Did the Universe have a beginning, or is it eternal? How did the first chemical elements form? How did the cosmic microwave background originate, a true fossil with crucial information about the composition and state of the universe 13.7 billion years ago? Why is antimatter not found in abundance in the Universe? These and other questions arise before the Universe even has 1 second of existence, extending until approximately 380,000 years old. In this edition of Cadernos de Astronomia, a special section is dedicated entirely to this period known as the primordial universe. Specialists from Brazil and abroad focus on a broad review of the comprehension that science has today on the initial moments of the Universe and the main enigmas it poses to us.