Precision cosmology refers to the use of high-statistics investigations to help understand the fundamental, but mysterious, pillars of modern cosmology: dark energy, dark matter, and inflation. From the point of view of the theorist, the problem is to develop methods and techniques that can make very accurate predictions in a systematics-limited observational environment, and to help design cosmic probes that minimize contamination from astrophysical uncertainties (either by understanding the astrophysics better or by limiting the influence of astrophysical uncertainties on the observational probe). In this talk I will cover the (short!) history of precision cosmology, give a preview of what sorts of results to expect in the near future, and provide some examples of the precision cosmology paradigm that we are pursuing at Argonne.

Argonne Physics Division Colloquium Schedule