New theory disputes ‘Big Bang' caused the creation of universe and proposes black hole collapse
©UK Independent
Today at 21:30
The universe may not have begun with the Big Bang but from the collapse of a massive black hole, a new theory suggests.
Current observations of our universe appear to support the Big Bang and cosmic inflation theories, which say that the early universe sprang into existence from a singular moment in space and time and rapidly blew up in size. The theories, however, leave many fundamental questions unanswered.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Elon Musk plays down latest Space X launch explosion
©UK Independent Today at 21:30 Elon Musk shared a three-word reaction after his SpaceX rocket exploded into a massive fireball while being tested on Wednesday night in Texas. The SpaceX owner seemed to joke about the failed test, writing, 'Just a scratch' on X after the Starship suffered a 'major anomaly' and shot up into flames, ruining yet another test for the space company.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Irish researcher joins €1.7bn hunt for Einstein's ‘ripples in space-time'
This work is part of the European Space Agency's €1.74bn Lisa (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission to deploy the first gravitational wave detector in space to detect the ripples. Gravitational waves have opened up a new way of observing the universe, according to said Barry Wardell, associate professor of mathematics and statistics at UCD. Prof Wardell has been awarded a €2.5m Advanced European Research Council Grant to study gravitational waves within the Lisa mission. Until recently, scientists' understanding of the universe came mostly from light – in its visible, radio or X-ray forms. The problem with relying on this, according to Prof Wardell, is that light cannot access all regions of space, especially near black holes, or the moments right after the Big Bang. 'Gravitational waves, by contrast, travel virtually untouched across the cosmos, carrying information about the most extreme, energetic events in existence,' he said. 'This lets us peer into environments we could never reach with telescopes alone.' By operating in space, the Lisa detector will be far away from all possible interfering 'noise' on Earth. 'We will be able to 'hear' signals from some of the most extreme events in the cosmos, including black holes the size of our Sun spiralling into supermassive black holes millions of times larger,' Prof Wardell said. For almost 100 years, scientists could only assume that gravitational waves existed, without having observed them directly, relying on Einstein's theories. They were first detected in 2015 in a dramatic discovery that led to the three researchers responsible together receiving the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Studying gravitational waves can help scientists answer questions like how galaxies and black holes form and develop over time. Prof Wardell will be working as part of an international network of scientists. 'What was the universe like in its earliest moments, before light could even travel freely?' he said. 'Gravitational waves are like messengers from those inaccessible corners of time and space.' Getting answers is a highly complex challenge that requires the use of advanced mathematics, supercomputers, and AI. 'While Einstein's predictions have held up for over a century, we've never been able to probe them in environments like merging black holes before,' Prof Wardell said. 'Gravitational wave detections could eventually reveal where his theory breaks down, pointing us toward new physics that might unify gravity with quantum mechanics – one of the biggest unsolved problems in science.' Yet how is all this relevant to our earthbound lives? 'Gravitational waves might sound far removed from everyday life,' Prof Wardell said. 'But even for ordinary people, they matter more than it first seems. 'This is a story of curiosity: our drive to understand where we come from, how the universe works, and what fundamental forces shape our reality.'
The Journal
10-06-2025
- The Journal
The universe may not have originated with the Big Bang, new study reveals
THE UNIVERSE MAY not have started with the Big Bang, but instead 'bounced' out of a massive black hole formed within a larger 'parent' universe, according to a new scientific paper. Professor Enrique Gaztanaga, from the University of Portsmouth's Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, said that the current Big Bang theory was problematic as the laws of physics 'broke down' when used to explain it. His new explanation, published in the journal Physical Review D, suggests that the Universe was formed as a result of a gravitational collapse in a larger universe which generated a massive black hole leading to a rebound or 'bounce' causing our universe to emerge. Professor Gaztanaga said: 'The Big Bang model begins with a point of infinite density where the laws of physics break down. 'This is a deep theoretical problem that suggests the beginning of the Universe is not fully understood. 'We've questioned that model and tackled questions from a different angle – by looking inward instead of outward. 'Instead of starting with an expanding universe and asking how it began, we considered what happens when an over-density of matter collapses under gravity.' Advertisement Prof Gaztanaga explained that the theory developed by his team of researchers worked within the principles of quantum mechanics and the model could be tested scientifically. He said: 'We've shown that gravitational collapse does not have to end in a singularity and found that a collapsing cloud of matter can reach a high-density state and then bounce, rebounding outward into a new expanding phase. 'Crucially, this bounce occurs entirely within the framework of general relativity, combined with the basic principles of quantum mechanics. What emerges on the other side of the bounce is a universe remarkably like our own. 'Even more surprisingly, the rebound naturally produces a phase of accelerated expansion driven not by a hypothetical field but by the physics of the bounce itself. 'We now have a fully worked-out solution that shows the bounce is not only possible – it's inevitable under the right conditions. 'One of the strengths of this model is that it makes predictions that can be thoroughly tested. And what's more, this new model has also revealed that the Universe is slightly curved, like the surface of the Earth.' He added: 'Furthermore, it could also shed new light on other deep mysteries in our understanding of the early universe, such as the origin of supermassive black holes, the nature of dark matter, or the formation and evolution of galaxies.' Professor Gaztanaga, who is the science co-ordinator for the ARRAKIHS ESA space mission, said that the four wide-angle telescopes on the satellite could help confirm the theory through its ability to detect ultra-low surface brightness structures in the outskirts of galaxies, which he explained were essential for studying how galaxies grow and evolve.
