Abstract:
In 2019 the Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to three scientists for their work on exoplanets and cosmology. The Nobel Committee gave the reason "for contributions to our understanding of the evolution of the universe and Earth's place in the cosmos". With the development of technology in the past twenty-odd years, the study of exoplanets and extraterrestrial life has seen explosive discoveries. Since the beginning of this new century, four Nobel Prizes in Physics have been awarded for the field of cosmology, namely, for the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite, the discovery of the accelerated expansion of the universe, the detection of gravitational waves, and the one mentioned above, all of which encompass broad prospects for cosmology. This article begins with the recent Nobel Prize in Physics, and provides a general overview of the areas of exoplanets and cosmology. With respect to the former, the discovery and detection methods of Mayor and Queloz as well as future prospects are reviewed. A brief history of the development of cosmology, the contributions of Peebles, and an introduction to one of the current hot topics of cosmology, the detection of primordial gravitational waves, are also presented.