Losing the Nobel Prize

In 2014, astrophysicists using BICEP2—the most powerful cosmology telescope ever made—believed they had glimpsed the cosmic spark that ignited the Big Bang. Millions of people tuned in to the press conference announcing their discovery, and Nobel whispers began to spread. But had these cosmologists truly read the cosmic prologue or, driven by ambition in pursuit of an award for scientific excellence, had they been deceived by a galactic mirage? In Losing the Nobel Prize, astrophysicist Brian Keating tells the inside story of BICEP2’s purported detection and the ensuing scientific drama. Along the way, Keating provocatively argues that the Nobel Prize actually hampers scientific progress by encouraging speed and competition while punishing collaboration and innovation.