Big Bang Expanded

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Big Bang: 7th November, 2006

The Big Bang is the 'accepted theory' of how the universe came into being. Scientists have been trying to explain and understand how the planets, stars and galaxies of the universe evolved from a sea of chaotic particles and in 2003, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) of NASA has been accorded success in producing the first detailed full-sky map of the universe at the 'dawn of time'. The image of the 13.7bn year old universe at 379,000 years after the event is regarded as powerful confirmation of the basic theory of the Big Bang and the first record of the light freely emerging from the expanded fireball.

Much as an infrared (weather) map of the Earth displays the distribution of heat and cold in a clear, discernible pattern, the WMAP image is interpreted as the distribution of light just a few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang. As the universe continued to cool (heat dissipated on expansion), protons and electrons combined to form neutral hydrogen, whose interaction with cosmic microwave background photons has been interpreted as the image across billions of light-years. The WMAP radiation 'blueprint' of the universe, where red signifies warmer spots and blue the cooler areas, has enabled cosmologists to identify the faint precursors of the galaxies that eventually became the real thing. Assumptions have been confirmed and now the composition has been determined to be 4% atoms, 22% (cold) dark matter and 74% dark energy. The universe's rate of expansion has been narrowed to a 5% margin of error, critical to calculating its age: 13.7bn years to within a 1% margin of error.

Various issues arise from this explanation and essentially focus of the concept of speculation based on speculation. The 'fact' that the age of the universe (after the event) can be accurately measured at 379,000 years is very weak: Truth. The viewpoint of the 'universe' is the same for everyone and the furthest actual images have been recorded, at best, only a few billion km from Earth by probes. When imagery is described this plants a picture in the individual's mind and can never be original. It is assumed that images are returned to Earth without distortion or influence of the unknowns of space. Even the structure of the Milky Way galaxy is only an interpretation of what has been viewed through telescopes of other galaxies. Closer to home, the rear of your own head cannot be seen without mirrors. And then it's only an image. It's an example of something never seen. Never 'seeable'. It is similarly impossible to see yourself as others see you. Any image will always be the wrong way around: left -> right and right -> left.

Any image from any estimated distance is only seen in two dimensions and the perception of distance effects can only be imagined. Unless the viewpoint is actually 'there' all images of such distant volumes in space must be 'seen', at best, in 2D . Stereoscopic images are theoretically possible, but even this can only be 'seen' on a 2D medium. The hologram can only reproduce what is originally viewable in 3D and obviously distant objects cannot be recorded. As a purely academic point, stereo-vision is only a concept experienced by the human-brain combination. Two eyes create the 3D perspective. Were the capability enhanced by 3-eyes, a different view would be experienced. The brain is unlikely to be able to decipher or interpret a three viewpoint creation.

Holography

Nothing has actually been confirmed, only possible evidence that supports the hypothesis has been recorded. Certainty is a very dangerous concept when dealing with possibility and unknowns. It is possibly interpreted correctly, but it is only interpretation and cannot be discussed as 'fact'.

The concept itself of the Big Bang is highly controversial. In the sense of God, this concept cannot be proved or disproved.

The Perception Of Conspiracy Theory

Many, however, view this as enough to be proof positive. This is not good science. The observations and interpretations may suggest more than one single 'fact', but anything outside the box of 'known fact' is summarily ignored. The conclusions may well be correct, but the evidence is not strong. This is like dark phenomena: black holes, dark energy and dark matter. All are inferred and not directly observed. Many times has subsequent, new observation overturned the 'known facts'. These later theories that supersede the original ones may themselves be wrong. The original one may be more correct, though not necessarily in its entirety. When observations are open to interpretation an open mind is essential.

The Paradoxical Scientist