A new cosmological theory is challenging the traditional Big Bang model by proposing that the universe originated from a gravitational collapse that created a black hole. According to a study published by Professor Enrique Gaztanaga at the University of Portsmouth, matter inside this black hole was intensely compressed before rebounding outward like a spring, leading to the birth of the universe as we know it today.
Some scientists now believe that the laws of quantum physics mean that matter cannot be compressed indefinitely. This aligns with the idea that gravitational collapse does not have to lead to a singularity but can stop and reverse, transforming into an explosive "bounce" under the right conditions. The model offers a different perspective: instead of starting from an expanding universe, it considers what happens when excessively dense matter collapses under gravity, similar to a star collapsing into a black hole.
"The Big Bang is often described as the explosive birth of the universe—a single moment of the emergence of space, time, and matter. But what if it was not a beginning at all? What if our universe arose from something else—something both more familiar and more radical?" explained Professor Gaztanaga, according to The Independent. He added, "We have shown that gravitational collapse does not have to end in a singularity and discovered that a collapsing cloud of matter can reach a high-density state and then rebound, returning outward into a new phase of expansion. What appears on the other side of the rebound is a universe incredibly similar to ours."
The model explains both the rapid phase of cosmic expansion and the subsequent acceleration observed today, both resulting from the physics of the rebound and not from other factors like dark energy. It describes how a cloud of collapsing matter can reach a high-density state that does not necessarily lead to a singularity but can stop and rebound outward, initiating a new phase of expansion.
The rebound occurs entirely within the framework of general relativity combined with the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, without the need for extra dimensions or unproven physical theories. The integration of established physics distinguishes the model from other speculative theories. Additionally, the model predicts a small but non-zero amount of positive spatial curvature. If future observations, such as those from the Euclid space telescope launched in July 2023 by the European Space Agency, confirm this curvature, it would be a strong hint that our universe emerged from such a bounce.
According to the study, we are not at the center of the universe, nor are we unique; our entire visible universe lies inside a black hole formed in some larger "parent" universe. This continues the Copernican principle: Earth is not the center of the cosmos, our galaxy is not unique, and our universe may not be either. This perspective suggests that the universe could be inside a black hole nested in a larger parent universe, which in turn could be inside another black hole, leading to an endless sequence of "universes within universes."
The traditional Big Bang theory assumes that the universe began about 14 billion years ago from a small, dense point called a "singularity," where the laws of physics are no longer valid. The singularity is a deep theoretical problem that suggests we don't really understand the beginning of the universe at all. The standard cosmological model leaves some of the most fundamental questions unanswered and requires more theoretical "crutches," such as "dark energy" that scientists added to explain the universe's continued acceleration.
Including the effects of quantum mechanics may change the story at extreme densities, preventing the compression of matter to infinity and leading to the cessation of collapse and the occurrence of rebound. The quantum exclusion principle states that no two identical particles known as fermions can occupy the same quantum state. As a result, the collapse halts and reverses, making the bounce not only possible but inevitable under the right conditions.
What emerges on the other side of the rebound is a universe similar to ours. The model predicts that the universe is slightly curved, a "smoking gun" that can be searched for with the Euclid space telescope. If future observations confirm a small positive curvature, it would strongly support the idea that our universe emerged from such a bounce.
Gaztanaga and his colleagues presented their findings in an article on Phys.org. They hope that this theory can soon be tested and even demonstrated visually. The model could shed new light on other deep mysteries in our understanding of the early universe. "This approach also seeks to resolve persistent enigmas, such as galaxies apparently older than the universe and inconsistencies in the expansion of the cosmos," Gaztanaga noted.
The new perspective opens the possibility of a multiverse with multiple realities coexisting with our own. Our universe may be just one of many, continuing the logic of the Copernican demystification of Earth's position. Far from denying the Big Bang, the new perspective reformulates it. Instead of the universe beginning from a point of infinite density, the new theory is based on quantum laws that do not allow such infinite conditions.
The "Black Hole Universe" theory suggests that the edge of our universe is the event horizon of a black hole, preventing us from seeing beyond it. What happens inside a black hole, beyond the event horizon from which nothing can escape, remains a mystery.
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