Cosmological Phase transitions from Lattice Field Theory

Abstract

In this proceedings contribution we discuss the fate of the electroweak and the quantum chromodynamics phase transitions relevant for the early stage of the universe at non-zero temperature. These phase transitions are related to the Higgs mechanism and the breaking of chiral symmetry, respectively. We will review that non-perturbative lattice field theory simulations show that these phase transitions actually do not occur in nature and that physical observables show a completely smooth behaviour as a function of the temperature.

Proceedings contribution to SMFNS2011, 7 pages