Vermont Country Store Catalog
Introduction (from part of a talk given to local Astronomical Societies)
The big bang model of the universe has become the mainstay of cosmology. However, there is room for doubt. Could it all be an illusion? All new discoveries have to be explained within the big bang framework. Its two main pillars of support are the redshift and the microwave background radiation. There are other struts of support, such as the 25% helium abundance and quasars which appear to mainly exist at great cosmological distances.
The apparent expansion leads us to envisage a point around 1.2x1026m away where due to the expansion of space, that region appears to be moving away at the speed of light. A sphere of the above radius defines our observable universe. Any information from beyond this sphere could never reach us.
Since the universe appears to be expanding then it must have had a beginning, a creation, somewhere between 10-15 billion years ago. This is deduced by running the clock back on the present rate of expansion. It will therefore have an end, by expanding and fizzling out, or by collapsing back in on itself at some very long time in the future. The big bang's predecessor, the steady state model also allowed for the expansion of space. Hydrogen was continually created from nowhere to maintain the status quo.
However, suppose we were to think the unthinkable, that the universe was not expanding, but only looked as though it was. The universe would then most likely be an eternal structure. It would have to be under dynamic equilibrium with itself for all eternity. It would also have to contain the natural mechanisms necessary to maintain it.
See The Steady State Galaxy Theory by Rufus Young for possible natural mechanisms and Some notes on the Rufus Young galaxy operation page
While the big bang model may well be correct, there are some reasons for wondering. This is apart from the usual reasons, such as not being able to imagine the non-existence of time and space, the thought of where all that apparently infinite energy came from and wondering if it really is possible for two objects to separate at a speed faster than light using the expansion of space as our explanation.
Here are some other reasons for wondering. While each one on its own may be insignificant, together they point to the conclusion that either we are living in a very special epoch in a big bang universe or something else is going on which is eluding our grasp.
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