I have great difficulty with the Big Bang Theory. I question the following: something arising from nothing; the origin of the vast energy necessary for the claimed initial expansion; whether light maintains its intensity through infinite space; how far does the Hubble Telescope see in infinite space; what is the role of ‘dark matter’ in this claimed expansion; is it not premature to claim that the Big Bang cosmogony is proven?
In the meantime, fellow-bloggers may be interested in the following extracts from ‘On the Cosmos’ in my book ‘Musings at death’s door.’
“Following a genuinely educational curriculum set by the British for Malaya, I read about the prevailing ‘Stationary State’ theory relating to the structure of the Cosmos. So, modern cosmologists were agreeing with an ancient Hindu perspective of durability in the heavens. Then, however, came the ‘Big Bang’ theory. This presumably was needed to explain what the Hubble Telescope had shown; that all sighted cosmic objects were seemingly moving away from one another.
Then came the ‘Big Crunch’ concept, seemingly in recognition that unending expansion did not make sense even in an infinity of space. I, however, wonder if a glimpse of Hindu cosmic speculations might also have been influential.
Then came the ‘Mini-Bang’ extension, presumably to explain the lack of accumulating empty spaces. That is, if everyone is moving out of a sports stadium through gates open 360 degrees, wouldn’t the stadium become empty eventually? The idea of a ‘Mini-Crunch’ had logically to follow. All that was to fit the Hubble Telescope’s observations within a durable Cosmos; and a hint that invisible matter (or energy) might be filling the spaces resulting from the expansion of visible galaxies.
We were now back to an enduring Cosmos, but with significant changes in structures. It is durability but without stability – an interesting concept. Did not some unknown Hindus postulate that the universe renews itself periodically? There are two strands in this belief. The first strand says that at the end of a ‘day of Brahma,’ Earth (and other worlds) are temporarily dissolved (another view is of a temporary suspension). A ‘day’ is equal to 4.32 billion human years. At the end of another 4.32 billion years, representing a ‘night’ of Brahma, regeneration commences. Dissolved, suspended, crunched?
Brahma is the Creator God. The other strand of this belief says that at the end of Brahma’s life, equal to 311.04 trillion years, the whole Cosmos is dissolved. After a great cosmic rest period equivalent to the duration of Brahma’s life, yet another creative cycle will commence, with another Brahma creating another Cosmos. What a quaint vista this is. What kind of mind conceived it?
It all sounds so simple. When and how did these concepts originate? Why? What was the trigger? These speculations promise long-term durability, but with vast changes in structures occurring in a sequenced path. What I was taught as a boy – that the universe is without a beginning or an end – seems to be quite correct. Continuity is assured, but with gaps in the creative and regenerative process. For some reason, the firefly’s winks of light come to mind.”
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 