Elementary particles and Big Bang cosmology

The merger of Einstein’s theory of general relativity with the Standard Model (SM) of elementary particle physics yields the highly successful Big Bang cosmology. New physics beyond the Standard Model is required for understanding the observed neutrino oscillations, provide a viable dark matter candidate,and explain the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. Unified theories of the three SM forces provide an attractive framework to address these and other problems. We summarize some of the predictions that ensue which include proton decay primordial monopoles and relic gravitational waves.
