The Big Bounce | Suite101.com

Posted by
Kelly Whitt
Jul 9, 2007

New research and mathematical models are helping astronomers to understand the beginning of our Universe like never before. The Big Bang Theory has been the best model for the beginning of our Universe for a long time, but a new theory may be taking its place. This theory is called the Big Bounce.

Loop Quantum Gravity unifies Einstein's Theory of General Relativity with equations of quantum physics to produce the Big Bounce. Scientists can now use mathematical means to look back in time to before the Big Bounce and see what our Universe came from. It ends the closed door of a Big Bang because with a Big Bounce the minimum volume is not zero and the maximum energy is not finite, allowing scientists to calculate and "see" farther back.

That peek into the place from which our Universe sprung shows another Universe. This Universe was similar but not exactly the same as ours. It seems to have collapsed in a Big Crunch (one of the possible endings to our own Universe) before bouncing back outward and creating the new Universe we see today.

But the new calculations reveal a "cosmic forgetfulness" at the time of the Big Bounce that will keep us from ever knowing all the properties about the earlier Universe.

Our own Universe is not believed to be heading toward a Big Crunch as was once speculated on. It appears that it will never create a Big Bounce of its own, because the Universe will never collapse in on itself. The Universe is expanding, and not only that, but the rate of expansion is increasing. The Universe is moving like a runaway train. One day it may end in a Big Rip, when all the matter is torn apart as it expands, even overtaking gravity that holds objects together and annihilating galaxies, stars, and planets.

Sep 12, 2009 6:18 AM

Guest :

'Big Bang' theory is a convenient tool for Science to explain away the creation of matter and energy. 'Big bang' is the only miracle moment that is accepted by modern science. The 'Big bounce' theory has elements of 'Steady state' theory that accepts that matter in some form existed always.
While the Big Bang universe begins with the entire universe packed in an unrealistically small space, the Big bounce universe attempts to make it a little more realistic by avoiding extreme dimensions.
However, why is it so difficult for us to accept that moment of creation may not have unique? It is possible that the universe did start with a cosmic vibration that initiated the manifestation of space into energy and matter.
If we are ready to grant some discretion to 'Space', it is possible to explain the presence of vast empty space interspersed with of clusters of matter and energy. There would be no embargo on energy and matter getting created. All that is required on our part is to accept that the seeds of man's intelligence are present in the space and matter around.
In this scenario, we need not bother about the big crunch. A counter cosmic vibration is all that would be required to dissolve the universe back into space.