Endless Universe: Beyond the Big BangTwo world-renowned scientists present an audacious new vision of the cosmos that “steals the thunder from the Big Bang theory.” —Wall Street Journal The Big Bang theory—widely regarded as the leading explanation for the origin of the universe—posits that space and time sprang into being about 14 billion years ago in a hot, expanding fireball of nearly infinite density. Over the last three decades the theory has been repeatedly revised to address such issues as how galaxies and stars first formed and why the expansion of the universe is speeding up today. Furthermore, an explanation has yet to be found for what caused the Big Bang in the first place. InEndless Universe, Paul J. Steinhardt and Neil Turok, both distinguished theoretical physicists, present a bold new cosmology. Steinhardt and Turok “contend that what we think of as the moment of creation was simply part of an infinite cycle of titanic collisions between our universe and a parallel world” (Discover). They recount the remarkable developments in astronomy, particle physics, and superstring theory that form the basis for their groundbreaking “Cyclic Universe” theory. According to this theory, the Big Bang was not the beginning of time but the bridge to a past filled with endlessly repeating cycles of evolution, each accompanied by the creation of new matter and the formation of new galaxies, stars, and planets. Endless Universeprovides answers to longstanding problems with the Big Bang model, while offering a provocative new view of both the past and the future of the cosmos. It is a “theory that could solve the cosmic mystery” (USA Today). |
Contents
2001 | 1 |
Act Two | 18 |
Two Tales of One Universe | 48 |
From Particles to the Cosmos | 70 |
A Cyclic Model of the Universe | 150 |
The Last Question | 167 |
Back to the Future | 253 |
glossary | 259 |
suggestions for further reading | 274 |
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accelerated anthropic principle astronomers atoms beginning big bang model big crunch branes braneworlds chapter contraction cosmic background radiation cosmological constant cosmologists cosmology created cycle cyclic model cyclic picture cyclic universe dark energy dark matter density variations described detect dominate early universe Earth Einstein's theory ekpyrotic electromagnetic electrons elementary particles emerged energy curve energy density entropy equations ergy eternal inflation explain extra dimensions fluctuations force fields Friedmann fundamental physics grand unified gravitational waves Guth Higgs field Hubble idea inflationary energy inflationary model inflationary picture laws of physics light magnetic mathematical matter and radiation matter particles milestone multiverse neutrons observed ordinary matter Ovrut particle physics particles and forces physicists pocket universe polarization possible predictions Princeton problem properties protons quantum field quarks regions satellite scale-invariant space speed stars stretching string theory temperature theorists theory of gravity tiny tion ture unified theories vacuum energy verse wavelength Witten WMAP WMAP image