• Question: How do you feel about the big bang and the other theories about the creation of the world ( only science reasons please- i already do RE at school!)

    Asked by pugsnotdrugs to Alison, Artem, Caroline, John, Gunther on 19 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by veronicaamin, stephenryan, itzkallum.
    • Photo: Matt Gunther

      Matt Gunther answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      Well, the Big Bang is the most prominent theory around at the moment and evidence suggests it to be pretty valid. This evidence has stemmed from the work of Erwin Hubble (the idea that galaxies are all moving away from each other) and Alan Guth (inflation theory). Hubble’s Law as it is known, has been proven on several occasions. Also, the remnants of the Big Bang itself have been viewed by such experiments as COBE. This huge Big Bang remnant is known as the Cosmic Microwave Background.

      However, what actually caused the Big Bang itself? This is the question, which is stumping scientists. Common reasoning is that the Big Bang formed from a “singularity”. However, how can you create something from nothing? Remember, energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another!

      To solve this problem, people argue that we are part of one universal cycle and that there were an infinite number of universes before us, which started via a bang, exapnded rapidly and then collapsed in on itself in a Big Crunch..Thus, starting the process once again.

      My own personal feeling on the matter is that this may be one question, which may not be answered for a very long time. However, there are hundreds of astronomers attempting to answer this question, so only time will tell!

    • Photo: Artem Evdokimov

      Artem Evdokimov answered on 20 Jun 2012:

      I feel pretty comfortable with the Big Bang theory. Like Matt, I sometimes wonder what came before, but the concept of ‘before’ gets very iffy when you consider that the entire space-time continuum was compressed into the singularity. So the answer likely lies in the extra dimensions (some theoretical physics experts suggest that up to *eleven* dimensions might be necessary to balance all the basic physical equations into a unified theory).

    • Photo: John Short

      John Short answered on 20 Jun 2012:

      I do agree with much that has been said already, the Big Bang theory is the most plausible at the moment in terms of the evidence and rationale.

      Many of the other theories, such as M theory in which the universe is like a giant cell next to other cells, created by “membranes” moving out (and ending when they move in) are more philosophical with a severe lack of evidence.

      I don’t think we will be able to answer that question, only because we can’t get outside the universe and see what’s there. Maybe if we develop the technology – if we went to the “edge” of ours, what would be outside, if there was an outside??? And how would we know it was the edge or end??

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