Physicist ‘cheated’ of Nobel?

This year’s Nobel Prize in physics went to three astronomers for their work demonstrating that “ dark energy” was propelling expansion of the universe at ever- increasing speeds. An Indian physicist claims that he had proposed a similar theory a year before the three astronomers first announced their results in 1998.

Dr B. G. Sidharth, director general of B. M. Birla Science Centre, had proposed the “ dark energy” model at the seventh Marcel Grossman Conference in Jerusalem in June 1997, and at another conference on quantum physics in Singapore a year later.

His research paper titled “ The Universe of Fluctuations” was published in International Journal of Modern Physics in 1998.

Astronomers, including Saul Perlmutter and Adam Reiss — two of the three winners of the 2011 Nobel — published their observations, which confirmed Sidharth’s theory.

Their studies were published in the Astrophysics Journal in 1999.

Sidharth asserts that it was only after his paper was published that the other researchers got their findings published. “ My theory was based on physics and mathematical calculations. The mathematical model that I followed is called fluctuational cosmology. On the other hand, the model proposed by the Nobel winners was based on observational findings while studying a supernova,” he said.

According to his model, there was no big bang resulting in the creation of matter and energy in the universe instantaneously. Rather the universe is permeated by an energy field or

quantum vacuum. Out of such an all- pervading energy field, particles are created in a totally random manner, a process that continues. “ This model was diametrically opposite to the accepted idea that the universe, dominated by dark matter, was actually decelerating. However, I proposed that driven by dark energy, the universe would be expanding and accelerating,” he said.

Sidharth recalls that his theory was written off by physicists since it had several inexplicable concepts.

“ Several astronomers in 1998 confided to me that my observations were wrong. What is surprising is that when the three astronomers also proposed the same theory based on observational findings, it was also rejected.” He said the presence of dark energy was later confirmed by the Wilkinson Microwave Probe ( WMAP) and the Sloane Digital Sky Survey. He claims that his research papers had received several critical reviews.

Though Sidharth had presented his papers at the Jerusalem conference and got them published in the international journals, they went unnoticed by the subsequent researchers, including the three Nobel prize winners.

Sidharth feels that the Nobel academy should have acknowledged his contribution, but does not plan to take up the issue with it. However, he said, several of his scientist friends are planning to write to the Academy. “ I am happy that my findings have been reconfirmed, though I did not expect that the theory would fetch the Nobel prize,” he signs off.