Once Upon a Time, the Universe Was Really Weird

A Glimpse into the Universe’s Origins

Today, as we gaze upon the vast and diverse cosmos, it’s easy to overlook that the universe we admire is the result of a cataclysmic event that took place 13.75 billion years ago.

The Big Bang: A Cosmic Birth

The prevailing theory of the universe’s inception is the Big Bang, an extraordinary explosion that birthed everything from a state of nothingness in a single, energetic moment of creation. But if we were to rewind time back to that primordial epoch, what would we witness?

The Nature of Early Cosmic Existence

Initially, one might imagine a universe brimming with pure, chaotic energy. However, groundbreaking research by Jonas Mureika from Loyola Marymount University and Dejan Stojkovic from SUNY Buffalo suggests that the reality may be far more complex than we can comprehend. Their findings indicate that the early universe was not only characterized by a hot, energetic state of matter but also by a primordial condition of dimensions.

A Lower Dimensional State?

If their hypothesis holds true, the four-dimensional spacetime we inhabit—comprising three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension—may not have always existed in this form. Instead, the universe could have initially existed in a lower-dimensional state, challenging our fundamental understanding of space and time.

Recent Research: Rethinking Universal Expansion

Recent studies have sparked renewed debate regarding the Big Bang theory. A notable paper by Lior Shamir from Kansas State University challenges this widely accepted model by proposing the Tired Light Theory, which suggests that redshift observed in distant galaxies may not solely indicate their speed away from Earth but could also result from light losing energy as it travels through space. This theory was largely overlooked for decades but has gained traction following observations made by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which revealed large, mature galaxies in images expected to show younger formations if the Big Bang occurred as traditionally believed[1][3][5].

Shamir’s study analyzed data from over 30,000 galaxies and demonstrated that redshift varies based on their distance from Earth and their motion relative to our planet. The findings indicated that galaxies rotating in opposite directions relative to the Milky Way exhibited lower redshift compared to those moving in the same direction. This suggests that redshift may change with distance, aligning with Zwicky’s original predictions under the Tired Light framework[1][3][6].

Implications for Cosmology

These recent findings do not outright reject the Big Bang theory but advocate for a broader consideration of alternative explanations that could also fit available data. As observational technologies advance, such as those employed by JWST, they may provide clearer insights into cosmic phenomena and potentially validate or refute these emerging theories.

In essence, the early universe might have been even stranger than we can currently imagine, inviting us to ponder the complexities of existence and the mysteries that still lie beyond our reach.

Read More
[1] https://thedebrief.org/time-to-rethink-the-big-bang-new-research-suggests-universal-expansion-may-not-be-what-it-seems/
[2] https://foundations.vision.org/mind-god-702
[3] https://phys.org/news/2024-09-century-theory-big.html
[4] https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/physics/faculty/dejan-stojkovic.html
[5] https://www.earth.com/news/new-observations-disprove-big-bang-theory-universe-began-tired-light-theory/
[6] https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2024/09/the-tired-light-theory-and-james-webb-telescope-observations-challenge-the-validity-of-the-big-bang/