No Big Bang? New physics model shows universe might have existed forever

[-AJ-]

Correct.

And if we suppose that God is outside the bounds of this universe and that He is omnipotent, then we can also suppose that He can create a rock that is a billion years old on day 1 - or appear to exist for ever.

I suppose He can, but the question then becomes, what would be his motive? I'm not sure why He would do that.

[Tortorella's Rant]

I suppose He can, but the question then becomes, what would be his motive? I'm not sure why He would do that.

The problem with this is that you have to assume he exists in the first place and then work everything else into that so you're confirming your own baseless assumption

[Offensive Threat]

I suppose He can, but the question then becomes, what would be his motive? I'm not sure why He would do that.

Even Gods need hobbies. You know, "idle hands" and all that.

[Bill Sikes]

.

[Neversummer]

Science is a work in progress and it always will be.

I still remember reading Thomas Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolution in undergrad.

[Neversummer]

By the way, the one thing that is irrefutable (based on the fact that we are here) is that one of two things either happened:

1) There was a beginning. In that case, you have to accept that something was created from nothing

2) There was no beginning. In that case, you have to accept that something has existed forever and had no beginning

So either way, logic as we know it is defied and our minds are blown. I don't think we would be able to comprehend the truth even if we learned it. Our brains are too small and we are far too inferior. Heck, most people can't even comprehend either of the above scenarios, or the big bang, or that the universe has no up or down, or left or right.

Or both could be true.

[Gurn]

It is all just guesswork, in a lab coat.

[DarthNinja]

What is that supposed to mean

it means that your argument is meaningless and refuted with simple reciprosity.

[VICanucksfan5551]

Well, the paper itself went over my head. I guess that's why I'm a biologist and not an astrophysicist. From what I understand though, the observational data strongly support a rapid expansion of spacetime from a very small point, so I'll remain skeptical of this model until it can be corroborated.

[hockeyisgood]

is there a reason to care about this stuff

Are you kidding? This is huge for CDC and brings a whole new dimension to CDC's endless "Is God Real?" debate that quite honestly goes no where no matter what is laid out on the table. Look, from this news all it took was the first reply and the subject was already started.

[Ghostsof1915]

The great thing about science is it doesn't stand still. We've gone from and earth centric view of the universe, to a heliocentric one.

When I was growing up the Universe was only 4.6 billion years old according to theory. Now with data and the ability to see to 10 billion light years into space. That means the Universe has doubled it's age since I was 13. If you have a theory, and you have the data that can be corroborated, or replicated in the lab. It's as valid any any other. Perhaps in some ways Science is the most democratic of all disciplines, as it's open to all, and it's designed to be questioned.

[Gurn]

"That means the Universe has doubled it's age since I was 13."

Man do you ever age slowly, is it the preservatives in your diet?

[VICanucksfan5551]

The great thing about science is it doesn't stand still. We've gone from and earth centric view of the universe, to a heliocentric one.

When I was growing up the Universe was only 4.6 billion years old according to theory. Now with data and the ability to see to 10 billion light years into space. That means the Universe has doubled it's age since I was 13. If you have a theory, and you have the data that can be corroborated, or replicated in the lab. It's as valid any any other. Perhaps in some ways Science is the most democratic of all disciplines, as it's open to all, and it's designed to be questioned.

Are you sure you're not thinking of the estimated age of the Earth? (4.5 billion years old)

Estimates of the age of the universe are ~14 billion now too, not 10 billion.

[aGENT]

But has Time always existed?

Maybe not as we understand it.

In fairness, we don't really understand time.

[Hugor Hill]

In fairness, we don't really understand time.

Well, women tend not to. They are always late.

[aGENT]

Well, women tend not to. They are always late.

[Master Mind]

Looks like half the posts already are "God is/isn't real" rather than about the theory in the OP.

I'm still waiting for someone to make a time machine so we can go back and see for ourselves. Seems to be the best way of going about it.

[Dickie]

I'm still partial to the theory that the universe is like a giant elastic, it expands to as large as it can be and then retracts back to a singularity and explodes and expands, forever repeating the cycle.

[avelanch]

but what happens when the elastic breaks?

[Toni Zamboni]

the universe is a feedback loop.

it will expand forever.