50th Anniversary Special Feature: The Discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background

Abstract

In the midst of this communications technology explosion, we look back 50 years to a discovery that provided important insights into an explosion of another sort: the Big Bang. We show that this seminal discovery was the result of investigations into solving a practical problem (radio communications) and it has connections to a multitude of other subsequent innovations and discoveries. As a result, this legacy continues to inspire innovators to come together to invent technologies and methods that push the boundaries of information and communications technology and that will transform the way humans and machines connect and collaborate.