Scientist says Big Bang theory is wrong... as they reveal how universe REALLY began
A controversial new theory about how the universe began rejects the widely-held belief that it started with a giant cosmic eruption known as the Big Bang.
One scientist suggests that the cosmos grew through numerous rapid-fire bursts rather than a single, massive explosion.
This alternative explanation, published by professor Richard Lieu of The University of Alabama in Huntsville, challenges one of the most foundational, long-standing theories in all of cosmology.
Lieu argues that each of these bursts, known as 'temporal singularities,' blasted new matter and energy out into space, which become planets, stars, galaxies, and everything in-between.
The Big Bang theory, by comparison, proposes that the universe began as an infinitely small, hot point of densely packed matter and energy.
That point then exploded into a flood of matter and energy that rapidly expanding, and is still expanding today, though the cause of the initial explosion remains unknown.
This has been the prevailing explanation for the origin of the universe since the 1960s. But despite its prominence, this theory is challenged by new investigations into concepts like dark matter and dark energy, which invisible particles scientists believe fill the universe.
The Big Bang model cannot work without the presence of these elusive particles. But so far, scientists have not been able to prove that they exist.
Lieu believes his theory overcomes this limitation, offering a new framework for the birth of the universe that does not require dark matter or dark energy.
The temporal singularities proposed in his new paper, published in the journal Classical and Quantum Gravity, aren't confined to a single explosive beginning (like the Big Bang).
Rather, they have continued sending bursts of energy and matter out into the cosmos throughout history.
Their collective impact has pushed the universe to expand and flooded it with the materials that make up all the cosmic structures we see today.
These random bursts happen rarely and quickly, dissipating before they can be detected by current technologies like telescopes, according to Lieu.
This theory could explain the structure of the universe we see today, and why it's expanding rapidly, without the need for dark matter or dark energy.
According to the Big Bang theory, dark matter is the invisible scaffolding that holds all the structures of the cosmos in place, while dark energy is the undetectable force that is pushing the universe to expand faster and faster.
Unless we assume that these mysterious substances exist, this theory begins to fall apart.
Without dark matter, the early universe wouldn't have had enough gravitational pull for galaxies and galaxy clusters to form so soon after the Big Bang, as modern observations suggest they did.
Dark energy is needed to explain why observations show the universe's expansion rate is increasing, with scientists theorizing that it acts as a repulsive force pushing the cosmos to stretch out faster and faster.
To sum up, assuming these pulling and pushing forces exist is essential to making the Big Bang theory match what we actually see in the universe.
Lieu has attempted to rework the model of the universe so that it aligns with the known laws of physics and the observable universe without relying on forces we have not been able to directly prove.
But while his temporal singularities offer an intriguing alternative, this theory comes with its own limitations.
For one, these fleeting bursts are, by definition, unobservable. Much like dark matter and dark energy, there's no direct evidence to support their existence.
What's more, there is far more indirect evidence to support dark matter and dark energy than temporal singularities.
Lieu's theory also fails to explain what causes temporal singularities, and it still needs to be validated with experimental evidence.
To accomplish the latter, he plans to use ground-based telescopes to look for 'jumps' in redshift, a phenomenon where light from a distant object shifts toward the red end of the visible light spectrum as it moves further away.
Astronomers use redshift to calculate the expansion rate of the universe, and 'jumps' in redshift could support Lieu's claim that brief bursts of energy are driving the universe's expansion.
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The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Universe may have started inside black hole, not from Big Bang
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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
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Glasgow Times
31-05-2025
- Glasgow Times
Meet Britain's 'smartest' siblings who joined Mensa
Twins Krish and Keira Arora, from Hounslow, London, became members of the highly exclusive society just six months apart. Krish took the IQ test in November at the age of 10, after he was inspired by his role model Young Sheldon - the main character in the Big Bang prequel series. He scored a mind-boggling 162 - a result which makes him smarter than Albert Einstein, who is believed to have had an IQ of 160. Meanwhile, Keira decided she wanted to give the Mensa admission a go after seeing that her brother had been accepted. Krish is smarter than Albert Einstein. (Image: SWNS) She became a member this May at the age of 11, thanks to her impressive score of 152. Only people with IQs in the top 2% of the global population qualify for Mensa. Krish said: "I was ecstatic when I got my result. Really, really happy." Keira added: "I wanted to try the test once Krish got his results. I felt a bit of pressure but I was pleased when I did it." Krish is a maths whizz and recently taught himself the Year 9 syllabus in just 22 days, despite only being in Year 6. In his spare time, he enjoys robotics and coding, and reached Grade 8 piano after just two years of playing. Both siblings are part of Mensa. (Image: SWNS) Keira on the other hand loves English, poetry, and music - and is the lead singer of her school band. At the age of 11, her favourite book is Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre - and she recently wrote a poem from the perspective of an AI tool. Krish said: "My maths teacher gave me the syllabus for Key Stage 3 and I taught myself. "I don't want to go too far ahead though, such as into GCSEs and A-levels, because I want to stay with my friends." Keira agreed. She said: "I don't find school academically challenging, but I still enjoy going as I get to spend time with my friends." The genius duo will in September be starting secondary school, with Krish headed off to elite grammar school Queen Elizabeth's and Keira beginning her studies at highly-selective Tiffin Girl's School. Keira starts secondary school in September. (Image: SWNS) Keira said: "I'm a bit scared because I've always been with Krish. But I'm also a bit relieved because it gets a little competitive." Although they are only just starting Year 7, Krish and Keira already have big plans for their futures. Krish said: "I want to study maths at Cambridge and then do something maths-related, like an actuary." Keira said: "I want to study English and Law at Oxford, and then become a commercial lawyer. "I think it will suit me because I'm good at negotiating, like with Krish over the TV remote." Parents Mauli and Nischal, who between them have degrees in computer science, electrical engineering, and business administration, admitted that there were some early signs of the twins' intelligence. The two hope to go to Cambridge and Oxford. (Image: SWNS) Mum Mauli, who is a senior manager at an IT company, said: "We noticed earlier with Krish. His reading speed was far beyond his age and his spelling was very accurate. "When we'd put on YouTube for him, he'd be watching maths tutorials - and by the age of four he was doing complex divisions. "He also had a lot of patience. It's rare for a four-year-old to sit still and do maths equations for half an hour. "With Keira, she was such a lively and playful child that we didn't really notice until later. "But with her 11+ exams, we noticed her approach to complex questions - and then she started getting feedback on her writing. "Teachers say she already writes like an author. She puts such emotion into her stories. It's well beyond her age." Mauli said that she and dad Nischal, who used to be a management consultant but is now a private landlord, are very proud of their kids - although admittedly a little shocked by how everything has unfolded. She said: "We're quite speechless a lot of the time about everything. "It does put pressure on us as parents as we want to make sure we keep exposing them to things that interest them. "But it's amazing for them as when we took them to their Mensa exam, they were the only kids. Everyone else was an adult. "No one else in the family is a member of Mensa - and we're not interested in taking the test. Recommended Reading "Imagine if we didn't pass! "I'm not as brave as Keira was - trying after Krish got accepted." This July, Krish and Keira are heading to their first Mensa event - where they have been invited to meet with various admissions officers from Oxford and Cambridge University. Their other summer plans include games of chess and monopoly, which they admit get a bit "competitive", as well as a rewatch of their favourite film - the 'twin classic' The Parent Trap.
