A Question About The Big Bang

[Vekin]

I was watching AndromedasWake's video "The Size of Things" (Absolutely wonderful, by the way), and I had a thought. Based on what we know, is it possible that the big bang wasn't the beginning of the universe at all, but rather a "Local" event? Meaning, would it be possible that some sort of physics we don't understand caused a localized event in the universe, and other such events could happen else where, as well?

We first thought our solar system was the end all be all. With more understanding, we expanded to the realm of galaxies, and then super clusters, and so on. Could it be that even the scope we now see the universe under is actually minuscule compared to it's reality?

Obviously, I know very little about cosmology and this question is just wild speculation. But does anyone know if this is complete hogwash or if it's even slightly possible?

 

[ninja_lord666]

Oh, sure, it's possible.
One school of thought is that we live in a multiverse with many, many different universes in it. It's a very interesting concept (Read the Wikipedia page to learn more), but, unfortunately, we have no reason to accept it as anything more than that: an idea. there is no proof, no evidence, nothing that would allow us to know for certain if a multiverse cosmology is correct. Also, current universal concepts would imply that even if we live in a multiverse, there's no way we could ever find that out because there'd be no way for us to see outside our own universe. It's also currently thought that anything outside the universe cannot affect it, so we can't even detect other universes by non-sight means. However, I'll bet they were saying the same thing about the solar system and galaxy, too, before we found more.
So, what do we get from all this? Just treat it like regular theoretical science: It's possible, but we have to reason to believe it just yet.

 

[aeroeng314]

It's also currently thought that anything outside the universe cannot affect it

If it could affect the universe, it wouldn't be outside of it.

However, I'll bet they were saying the same thing about the solar system and galaxy, too, before we found more.

No, they probably didn't. In both of those cases it just turned out that the universe was larger than we thought, not that we found something outside of it. It's completely different.

 

[ninja_lord666]

No, they probably didn't. In both of those cases it just turned out that the universe was larger than we thought, not that we found something outside of it. It's completely different.

The solar system is a singular 'object' distinctly separate from other solar systems; the galaxy is a singular 'object' distinctly separate from other galaxies; the universe is a singular 'object' distinctly separate from other universes. What's the difference? Size. That's it. Of course, current knowledge does indicate that the universe is unique, but that could possibly be proven wrong, just like it was proven wrong that the solar system was unique and just like it was proven wrong that the galaxy is unique. I will admit, however, that in both of the previous cases, we could see other solar systems/galaxies but just didn't know what they were while we cannot see outside the universe. So, there is good reason to believe that the universe is unique.

 

[bruhaha2]

Oh, sure, it's possible.
but, unfortunately, we have no reason to accept it as anything more than that: an idea. there is no proof, no evidence, nothing that would allow us to know for certain if a multiverse cosmology is correct.

Well, the LHC is hoped to aide this theory. Physicist have made mathematical prediction with what they think will happen and if the results resemble their predictions then it would be evidence for multiple dimensions. This, in turn, would support the multiverse since the aforementioned dimensions make the multiverse possible.

As far as all the physics behind this... I wouldn't be able to interpret them if I saw them. I really want to learn it though.

 

[ninja_lord666]

@ bruhaha2: Well, then we'll just have to wait until the LHC is working. Personally, I can't wait!