The detection in 1963 of cosmic microwave background in the universe was one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century because it is strong evidence that the universe had a definite beginning. Before this time many scientists and philosophers, including Aristotle, believed the universe was eternal and always existed.
The background noise of the universe is evidence of a "beginning" and is more popularly known as the Big Bang Theory. Arno Penzias won a Nobel Prize for his co-discovery of this background noise. He says, "The creation of the universe is supported by all the observable data astronomy has produced so far. As a result, the people who reject the data can arguably be described as having a 'religious' belief." That is, people who refuse to consider the evidence because it conflicts with their preconceived ideas are following a dogma in the most stubborn sense of the word.
Penzias thinks the most logical explanation of the universal background noise is "a moment of discrete creation from nothing" and says, "The best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted had I had nothing to go on but the five books of Moses, the Psalms, or the Bible as a whole."
BreakPoint with Charles Colson, "A Big Brain Interprets the Big Bang" (Commentary #030509, 5-09-03)