Early Universe seen running slow

Cosmic clocks appear to run slower soon after the Big Bang, just as Einstein predicted

Astronomers have for the first time captured the early Universe running in extreme slow motion - just as Einstein's theory of relativity predicted - a new study has revealed. The researchers observed the phenomenon by using quasars, the supermassive black holes at the centres of early galaxies, as 'clocks'.

The further we look into the Universe, the longer the light takes to travel the distance to reach us, potentially taking billions of years when we look back into the most distant Universe. As well as giving us a way to see what the Universe looked like billions of years ago, it also presents a unique opportunity to see relativity in action.