Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

Abstract

It has been a long time since Big Bang nucleosynthesis was established as one of the pillars of standard cosmology. Moreover, its success has made it a laboratory in nature to probe a theory which cannot be tested on the Earth. In this article, we introduce recent topics of Big Bang nucleosynthesis in the era of unprecedented development of cosmological observations. We review recent progress and issues in observations of the light element abundances in the light of precise cosmic microwave background radiation experiments. Also, we describe how we can probe supersymmetry, which is the most promising candidate for a theory beyond the standard model of particle physics, through Big Bang nucleosynthesis. Big Bang nucleosynthesis is still relevant to unexplored areas in astrophysics, nuclear physics and particle physics. It would keep developing in concert with various fields of science.