Big Bang Cosmology

[xelasnave]

I was surprised to see the results of a poll on a science forum where about 30 per cent rejected the big bang.
I thought I was the only sceptic out there in so far I think certain aspects probably need attention.
It appears there are a few who reject the idea as nonsense.
My main complaint is it leaves the door open as to creation leaving a mystical moment which science offers little.I believe the original idea was presented by a priest/scientist
so maybe creation was avoided and the evolution aspect of the universe was only addressed.
Any thoughts?
I posted here rather than science section so ideas can be expressed without offending mainstream.
Are you on the 30 per cent side or on the 60 per cent side.
Please keep it light hearted.

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

I go for the big bang, based on the evidence.
Still slogging my way through a "Brief History of Time" though afer 6 months of reading a 1/2 dozen other books between

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Big Bang for me, we just haven't nailed down the details, that's all.

My 'Theory' is after a gadzillion years or so everything has dissapeared into this one big black hole so it is stuffed full. So it goes 'BANG!' and it starts all over again.

See you all next time round eh ?

[PCH (Paul)]

Ian,

a few years ago, Hawking's book had the dubious distinction of being the 'most bought' but 'least read' book ever.

Sure enough, even as I read that article, I had to concede that I had a copy on my bookshelf that I'd never even opened.

Originally Posted by gaa_ian

I go for the big bang, based on the evidence.
Still slogging my way through a "Brief History of Time" though afer 6 months of reading a 1/2 dozen other books between

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Originally Posted by PCH

Ian,

a few years ago, Hawking's book had the dubious distinction of being the 'most bought' but 'least read' book ever.

Sure enough, even as I read that article, I had to concede that I had a copy on my bookshelf that I'd never even opened.

great, so it is not just me ... I have gone over and above by reading 3/4 of it.

[xelasnave]

Brent I think you are right..could you get a book out please...The Big Bangs Theory would be a great title.

[bojan]

Evidence for BB is more than compelling.. but you need a bit more than everyday math to understand why (it is compelling).
Recently, Coursera.org offered again Dr Plesser’s course (Introduction to Astronomy), which I highly recommend to anyone – it is actually very easy to understand everything he was talking about, even math.

The fact that BB was proposed by priest (Lemaitre, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre) is not important here.. I am pretty sure he himself was not very happy about the whole idea

[xelasnave]

Ian unless you finish the book we can't take your input. At least read the last page so you know how it ends.

And should it be called a big bang considering the apparent starting point was very small.

[bojan]

Actually.. it wasn't Lemaitre who proposed BB..
Apher, Bethe and Gamow were the ones who propiosed "ilem", proto-egg from whicg universe expanded.

[xelasnave]

Hi Bojan
The math is compelling of course or we would not have given the idea any credibility.
It follows from GR which is rigorosly tested each year really.
I did read somewhere that George Lemaitre was rather happy about his idea because he felt it somewhat closed the gap between science and religion.
I think one of the popes gave it approval on such a basis ...but I can't supply authority so take it as questionable.
Math aside I just can't fathom how all the universe could have come from something supposedly smaller than an atom.
I know energy mass etc but it's one of those things I find difficult to accept or rather understand.
I hope you are doing well.
Regards
Alex

[bojan]

Hi Alex,
I am fine, still kicking (but not the bucket ;-)

The thing is, I believe we shouldn't even try to fathom the idea.. because our brains did not evolve to cope with the evolution of the Universe ;-)
We are wired to respond to our everyday's environment.. other people, food, kids.. avoiding the danger and surviving.
As Richard Feinman used to say about quantum mechanics.. nobody understand it, including himself - because it's effects are too far away from our everyday experience.
But by pure luck, there is this byproduct of evolution of our brains, our capability of abstract thinking, with help of math. It never was an obstacle in our survival struggle.. so it stayed with us.. And we are using it now to "understand" even such things as BB.

[xelasnave]

Yes don't kick the bucket.
I like to think we can understand everything.
Observation suggest this is so.
You can ask anyone a question and never get...I don't know.
And many folk can be experts without knowing anything about the subject matter.
Our imagination is extraordinary so I contend that anything is not beyond our grasp.

[xelasnave]

I must read up on who first mentioned the ..egg...I am sure it was George one Easter.

[xelasnave]

Well the good news is we don't have a 30 per cent group

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Brent I think you are right..could you get a book out please...The Big Bangs Theory would be a great title.

Would be quite short then ...
Title Page, Index, Chapter 1, BANG, appendix, the end.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by gaa_ian

great, so it is not just me ... I have gone over and above by reading 3/4 of it.

Me too .. although I did get a bout a third of the way into it. It sits on my computer desk taunting me to complete. Must give it another go ... tomorrow