The Standard Model of Cosmology: A Skeptic's Guide
  The status of the standard cosmological model, also known as "LCDM" is
described. With some simple assumptions, this model fits a wide range of data,
with just six (or seven) free parameters. One should be skeptical about this
claim, since it implies that we now have an astonishingly good picture of the
statistical properties of the large-scale Universe. However, the successes of
the model cannot be denied, including more than 1000 sigma worth of detection
of CMB anisotropy power. The model is older than most modern astrophysicists
seem to appreciate, and has not fundamentally changed for more than a quarter
of a century. Tensions and anomalies are often discussed, and while we should
of course be open to the possibility of new physics, we should also be
skeptical of the importance of 2-3 sigma differences between data sets until
they become more significant. Still, today's SMC is surely not the full story
and we should be looking for extensions or new ingredients to the model, guided
throughout by a skeptical outlook.
