What Happened Before the Big Bang?
The Big Bounce theory was once thought impossible. But two physicists have just resurrected it.
By Paul Sutter | Science Outreach Contributor

SPACE.COM – April 26, 2020 | In the beginning, there was an infinitely dense, tiny ball of matter. Then, it all went bang, giving rise to the atoms, molecules, stars and galaxies we see today.

An artist’s interpretation of the Big Bang
(Image: © © Scott Wiessinger (USRA): Lead Producer Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET): Technical Support Krystofer Kim (USRA): Lead Animator)

Or at least, that’s what we’ve been told by physicists for the past several decades.

But new theoretical physics research has recently revealed a possible window into the very early universe, showing that it may not be “very early” after all. Instead it may be just the latest iteration of a bang-bounce cycle that has been going on for … well, at least once, and possibly forever.

Of course, before physicists decide to toss out the Big Bang in favor of a bang-bounce cycle, these theoretical predictions will need to survive an onslaught of observation tests.

Bouncing Cosmologies
The Conflagration
Before the Beginning