• Question: will there ever be a second big bang

    Asked by emmaleung to Claire, Kate, Matt, Rob, Sam on 21 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Sam Geen

      Sam Geen answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      Not in our universe – the Big Bang is just a (not very good) name for the start of the universe. In fact, all that’s happening is that space is expanding at the same rate everywhere. But there could be other parallel universes starting up, I suppose – we have no way of knowing.

    • Photo: Robert Woolfson

      Robert Woolfson answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      There is a quote from Douglas Adams – The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy on my profile which I feel is appropriate here:

      “There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.”

      Also, there is an idea (I’m pretty sure) which says that if the universe weighs slightly too much, it will contract on itself and basically go through time in reverse. This could possibly result in a second big bang.

    • Photo: Matthew Pankhurst

      Matthew Pankhurst answered on 22 Jun 2013:

      I don’t think we can say – and it might be that it is impossible to say. We need to make good sense out of everything in our universe to be able to answer with any confidence, and because our universe is so huge and amazing there’s a lot of work to do! Sounds like a great title of an important scientific article though!

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