An insider story about how scientists tried to discover one of the main secrets of cosmology and lost their way, seduced by the shine of Nobel gold. What is it like to be an eyewitness to the Big Bang? In 2014, astronomers armed with the most powerful ground-based radio telescope in history, BICEP2, thought they had seen the spark that ignited the Big Bang. Millions of people around the world watched the live press conference from Harvard University announcing this landmark discovery. But have cosmologists really read the cosmic prologue or have they, hypnotized by the dream of a Nobel Prize, been deceived by a galactic mirage? Brian Keating—cosmologist and designer of the BICEP cosmic microwave background experiment—tells the story of BICEP2's exciting discovery and the scientific drama that followed . Scientific passion and the desire to unravel the mystery of the birth of the Universe lead the author to different corners of the globe - from Rhode Island to the South Pole, from California to Chile, and he invites the reader on this journey filled with personal revelations and deep insights. Keating paints a vivid picture of the world of modern science, with its fierce competition and frequent disappointments. He provocatively argues that the Nobel Prize, rather than promoting scientific progress, sometimes turns out to be an obstacle, encouraging competition and greed in the scientific community, forcing undue rush to discovery and inhibiting bold scientific innovation. Thoughtfully rethinking the intentions of Alfred Nobel, Keating offers practical solutions for reform prizes and his vision of a scientific future in which cosmologists will finally be able to look into the beginning of time.