Small Bang Theory

[wurf]

Does the expansion of space neccessarily imply a single dense point in the past? Has anyone theorized a steady state universe, in which at some point in time, some catastrophic event, or gradual process, began the expansion? Does the other evidence for the Big Bang rule something like that out?

 

[jgreimer]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steady_state_theory

 

[wurf]

I didn't know "steady-staters" back then accepted that the universe was expanding.<br /><br />I've read where Einstein never accepted the Big Bang theory, because he didn't want to believe in a universe with a beginning. So does anyone know, does that mean he adhered to something like the "Perfect Cosmological Principle" referred to in the above Wiki aricle? From what I could make of it, the principle says what we're observing happening is not really happening. Sort of a Hindu-type "everything's an illusion" philosophy?

 

[mindmute]

I've always thought the differential between the expanding space and galactic core black holes caused spiral patterns. although i've never been able to explain non-spiral galaxies, i still like my humble little theory. There is still much of the universe that we will never see because of the expansion that occured before starlight burst forth. therefore we may never know how much mass is really out there, or in what pattern our universe of galaxies is actually expanding. this could all be a forth dimensional "wind". (the illusion analogy would be applicable here.)