Renegade Physicists!

June 2, 2007 2:41 PM

Renegade physicists! have published the book Endless Universe and talked to NPR's Tom Ashbrook about their alternative theories of the beginning of the universe: 'The Big Bang' is an unfortunate misnomer and was not the beginning of time, but rather the formation of a singularity in the universe. "And what we're seeing is that the Big Bang doesn't have to be the beginning of time. It's perfectly possible that the Big Bang was just a violent event in a pre-existing universe..."
posted by frobozz (18 comments total)

Where is the term "renegade physicists" coming from? Is that your addition? The ekpyrotic model has been around a while and is a reasonable alternative to inflation. Physics as usual - which is more a series of working proposals than something equivalent to church doctrine.

That said, thanks for the discussion between Turok and Guth. This is good stuff.
posted by vacapinta at 3:44 PM on June 2, 2007

Where is the term "renegade physicists" coming from?


Sorry, "renegade physicists (!)" is from the NPR link (3rd para.), and just made me laugh that someone would actually type it seriously like that. So I had to put it up there. I know the model has been around, but the book and the talk and interview are new, which was the point.
posted by frobozz at 3:55 PM on June 2, 2007

(Thanks for reminding me that personal internal jokes don't really come across. I always forget and people are always confused.)
posted by frobozz at 3:58 PM on June 2, 2007

you need a better pocket protector.
posted by quonsar at 4:19 PM on June 2, 2007

It's perfectly possible that the Big Bang was just a violent event in a pre-existing universe...

That's what your mom said.
posted by phaedon at 4:29 PM on June 2, 2007

you need a better pocket protector.

That's what she said.

Neat post. Makes my head hurt, though.*

Yeah I know, that's what she said.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 5:53 PM on June 2, 2007

My Rogue Scholar just beat up your renegade scientists.

*rolls for damage*
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:24 PM on June 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

If I only had a 'brane. . . .
posted by rdone at 6:51 PM on June 2, 2007

I can imagine some raggedy physicists, on the run from the law, writing out their forbidden equations in secret. I wonder if you can use a logarithm to rob a bank?
posted by Talanvor at 7:32 PM on June 2, 2007

Well, seeing as you can't distinguish anything besides *maybe* particle spin and magnetic charge after something like a singularity happens, doesn't that basically erase any geologic past that might have been attached to anything?so there is no *evidence* to assume that anything happened before it.
Maybe it did, maybe it didn't.
It's one of those limits to science!
posted by Balisong at 7:57 PM on June 2, 2007

Our proposal is based on unproven ideas in string theory and is brand new. While we appreciate the enthusiasm and interest with which the paper has been received, we would suggest some patience before promulgating these ideas in order to leave time for us to produce some follow-up papers that introduce additional elements and to allow fellow theorists time for criticism and sober judgment.

There you go, then.
posted by Balisong at 8:11 PM on June 2, 2007

I wonder how our parasites, see us?
posted by Oyéah at 8:53 PM on June 2, 2007

Your favorite unified cosmological theory sucks.
posted by frogan at 9:46 PM on June 2, 2007

A stellar heresy
posted by hortense at 10:08 PM on June 2, 2007

It's turtles, all the way down.
posted by treepour at 10:22 PM on June 2, 2007

I can imagine some raggedy physicists, on the run from the law, writing out their forbidden equations in secret. I wonder if you can use a logarithm to rob a bank?

Like this guy? (that's a slide rule in his teeth).
posted by thatwhichfalls at 10:21 PM on June 3, 2007

Physics as usual - which is more a series of working proposals than something equivalent to church doctrine.

EEyah. Try questioning BB or Copenhagen at a conference. You'll feel "cold fusion eyes" in under 10 picoseconds.
posted by Twang at 11:43 PM on June 3, 2007

@hortense

Right on about Arp.
posted by Twang at 11:44 PM on June 3, 2007