How did the universe begin? New study says the Big Bang was actually a bounce inside a black hole

The big bang theory is the widely accepted explanation for the origin and evolution of the universe. However, a new study which was published in Physical Review D challenges this conventional view. The researchers propose an alternative model in which our universe emerged from a gravitational collapse followed by a bounce, all occurring within a black hole in a larger 'parent' universe.

According to the standard cosmological model, the universe is believed to have begun approximately 13.8 billion years ago with a singularity, which is a point of infinite density, and has been expanding and cooling ever since. However, this model relies on several unobserved phenomena such as inflation fields and dark energy. Additionally, it does not explain the origin of the singularity.

The research was published by Enrique Gaztanaga, a professor at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth and his colleagues. The new model avoids the issue by combining two things, general relativity with quantum mechanics. Particularly, it invokes the quantum exclusion principle, which prevents identical particles or fermions from occupying the same quantum state. This principle stops the collapse before a singularity forms, hence resulting the matter to rebound outward. The result of this model is a universe expanding from a high-density state which almost identical to our Earth.

From collapse to creation

This process occurs inside a black hole that is formed by a collapsing mass of matter. Instead of ending in a singularity, the collapse results to a bounce this leads to the formation of a new and expanding universe. This 'black hole bounce' model completely relies on established physical laws and does not depend on hypothetical fields or extra dimensions.

One of the important predictions of the model is that the space has a slight positive curvature, this differs from the current standard cosmological model which accepts a flat universe. The accuracy of this model could be verified when the upcoming missions like the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope test this curvature.

The model also accounts for the two known phases of accelerated expansion, which are the early inflation period and the present-day expansion attributed to dark energy, without introducing any new or speculative physics. Additionally, it could also provide insights to clarify the origins of supermassive black holes and the distribution of galaxies.

Testing the theory

Future missions such as Arrakihs, which will observe faint galactic structures, may further shed light on this theory by studying potential relics from the collapsing phase to verify the model. This new framework proposes that our universe might be part of a larger cosmic cycle, hence reshaping our knowledge and understanding of the universe’s true origin.