Exploring the early Universe through the cosmic microwave background

Abstract

I will present the tightest observational bounds available on the early Universe, largely based on the legacy of the ESA Planck satellite. The emergent cosmological picture is well consistent with a simple Lambda Cold Dark Matter model arising out of an inflationary scenario. We do see, however, small quirks in the data that may or may not hint at new physics. High accuracy measurements expected within the next decade, aimed at CMB polarization, will prove critical for our understanding of the early universe. They are expected to push the model tests to unprecedented precision, shed light on the observed anomalies, and provide a direct window to cosmic Inflation by constraining the predicted background of primordial gravitational waves.