From a new study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physicsscientists conclude that the universe must have had a beginning. They completely rejected the possibility of an endless cyclical process.
The study, led by University at Buffalo physicists led by William H. Kinney, contradicts previous models that assumed endless cycles of expansion and contraction of the universe.
Scientists have previously proposed cyclical models to explain the continuity and eternity of the universe, but new research shows that these models cannot solve the problem of entropy.
The Big Bang theory, which has prevailed in recent decades, suggests that the universe began with an explosion from a small, static point.
However, it disagrees with some aspects of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Instead, the researchers proposed the Big Bounce theory, which posits that our universe was created from the collapse of a previous universe.
However, new research points to limitations of possible cyclical models. Scientists have discovered that disorder and entropy accumulate in the universe over time, making each cycle different from the last. This means that cyclical universes must begin at a certain time.
Physicist Will Kinney notes: ‘We show that when you solve the entropy problem, you create a situation in which the universe must have had a beginning. Our general test shows that any cyclical model that eliminates entropy by expansion must have an origin.”
The researchers acknowledge that their evidence does not apply to Roger Penrose’s cyclical model, in which the universe expands infinitely in each cycle. They continue to work on this and plan to analyze this model further.
As the study’s authors note, the natural human tendency to understand origins and beginnings has always been present across cultures and histories. The question of what happened before the universe began remains open, and scientists continue to conduct research to find answers.
