- A new theory proposes that the universe may have originated from a 'rebound' of a previous cosmic collapse, rather than solely from the Big Bang.
- This 'black hole universe' theory suggests that a former universe condensed into an infinitesimally small singularity, potentially leaving behind 'cosmic fossils' like black holes that survived into our current universe.
- Proposed by scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the Institute of Space Sciences, the research was published in the journal Physical Review D.
- The theory could help explain long-standing cosmological mysteries, including the nature of dark matter, the trigger for the Big Bang, and the processes that seeded galaxy formation.
- Instead of an infinite singularity, the theory suggests the universe collapsed to a very high, but finite, density before expanding, with tests proposed to identify relic gravitational waves or patterns in the cosmic microwave background.
IN FULL
‘Cosmic fossils’ left by black holes created before the big bang may still shape the universe
