Andrey got his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in elementary particle physics from Novosibirsk State University in Russia, and a Ph.D. in string theory from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. He works as a science writer, specializing in physics, space, and technology.
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Proposed changes to Einstein’s relativity suggest that the universe did not start from a singularity, potentially solving one of the biggest outstanding questions about the Big Bang.Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsSign up for the latest discoveries, groundbreaking research and fascinating breakthroughs that impact you and the wider world direct to your inbox.Feed your curiosity with an exclusive mystery every week, solved with science and delivered direct to your inbox before it's seen anywhere else.Sign up to our free science & technology newsletter for your weekly fix of fascinating articles, quick quizzes, amazing images, and moreSign up to our monthly entertainment newsletter to keep up with all our coverage of the latest sci-fi and space movies, tv shows, games and books.Discover this week's must-see night sky events, moon phases, and stunning astrophotos. Sign up for our skywatching newsletter and explore the universe with us!The Big Bang is often described as the moment everything began — a point of infinite density where the laws of physics broke down. But what if that picture is incomplete? A new study proposes a different account of the universe's birth: Instead of an abrupt beginning from a singularity, as predicted by, the early cosmos may have passed through a more controlled high-energy phase governed by a modified theory of gravity known as QQG., a professor of physics at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, told Live Science via email."In simple terms, it is an extension of Einstein's theory of gravity that includes additional terms which become important at extremely high energies, such as those that would have existed near the beginning of the universe."Our leading theory of dark matter may be wrong, huge new gravity study hintson large scales. It explains the motion of planets, the behavior of black holes, and the expansion of the universe. However, it struggles to explain the ultra-small world ofAt that point, densities and space-time curvature become infinite — a clear indication that the theory is incomplete. Physicists have long sought a deeper framework that can describe gravity under such conditions.Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors "What makes interesting is that it may provide a mathematically consistent way to describe gravity at very short distances and very high energies, where ordinary general relativity is expected to break down," Afshordi said."In that sense, it offers a possible conservative route toward a quantum theory of gravity, while still remaining close to Einstein's theory at ordinary scales."In the new study, the researchers explored how QQG would reshape the earliest moments of the cosmos if it is indeed a correct completion of Einstein’s theory. Their results suggest that the universe may not have started from a singular point at all. "Our main result is that, within quadratic gravity, the very early universe can avoid the usual Big Bang singularity and instead pass through a better-controlled high-energy phase," Afshordi said.Our model of the universe is deeply flawed — unless space is actually a 'sticky' fluid Universe-shaking collision of black hole and neutron star could upend our understanding of monster cosmic mergers Rather than emerging from an infinitely dense state, the universe would have begun in a smoother, more stable configuration with finite density and finite temperature, with its precise properties depending on the particles and fields present at extremely high energies and temperatures. This avoids one of the most troubling predictions of standard The theory also offers a fresh perspective on cosmic inflation, the brief period of extremely rapid expansion thought to have occurred just after the Big Bang. "In our analysis, this framework can also generate an inflation-like period without having to introduce an extra hypothetical field by hand," Afshordi said. In standard models, inflation is typically driven by a mysterious field known as the inflaton. That field has never been directly observed. In contrast, QQG produces inflation naturally as a consequence of gravity itself. "In other words, some of the key ingredients we normally add separately to cosmology may arise directly from the gravitational theory itself," Afshordi added. An illustration of black holes merging and releasing gravitational waves. Studying these signals with ever-more-sensitive instruments could help answer our questions about the earliest moments of the universe.From exotic physics to the familiar universe One striking feature of QQG is that it behaves very differently depending on the energy scale. At extremely high energies, it follows new quantum rules. But as the universe expands and cools, it transitions back to the familiar physics described by Einstein. The theory suggests that gravity becomes simpler at very high energies — a property known as asymptotic freedom — before evolving into the form we observe today. Eventually, the universe enters the hot, radiation-filled phase described by standard cosmology. This framework provides a continuous bridge between an exotic early universe and the well-tested physics of later times. The key question, however, is whether this idea can be tested. "Yes, at least in principle," Afshordi said."The most promising tests come from cosmology, especially from the imprint of the early universe on primordialRecord-breaking gravitational wave puts Einstein's relativity to its toughest test yet — and proves him right again These ancient signals carry information about the universe's earliest moments. According to the new theory, these signals should contain subtle differences compared with predictions from standard inflation models. "One particularly interesting aspect of our scenario is that it can lead to distinctive predictions for the gravitational-wave signal produced in the early universe," Afshordi noted."As observational sensitivity improves over the coming years and decades, future measurements of primordial gravitational waves could begin to distinguish this kind of model from more conventional inflationary scenarios." Although the idea is still being explored, it offers a compelling possibility: that the Big Bang may not have been a singular beginning but rather part of a deeper, quantum description of gravity. If confirmed, this framework could reshape how scientists understand the origin of the universe — replacing a breakdown of physics with a new, more complete picture of cosmic beginnings.Andrey got his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in elementary particle physics from Novosibirsk State University in Russia, and a Ph.D. in string theory from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. He works as a science writer, specializing in physics, space, and technology. His articles have been published inCosmologySpace Exploration
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