Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations

Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAOs) are regular patterns in the distribution of galaxies in the universe, resulting from sound waves in the early hot gas of the cosmic microwave background. As the universe expanded, these sound waves created pressure and density variations that influenced how matter clumped together as it cooled. The result is a "fingerprint" of these oscillations seen today, which helps scientists measure the scale of the universe. BAOs are crucial for understanding cosmic expansion and provide insights into dark energy and the overall composition of the universe.