How did the universe begin and why is it still expanding?
In short: The universe began as an infinitely hot, infinitely small point. To understand this monumental moment, cosmologists and particle physicists work together to replicate the extreme heat and energy of the first few seconds of existence, peering back through time to uncover the origins of everything we know.
The concept of the 'Big Bang' was originally a joke, but it became the standard model as evidence mounted. Astronomer Edwin Hubble first observed that the universe is expanding by noting that galaxies are moving further and further apart. This expansion implies that the universe originated from a single, incredibly dense and hot point. This monumental explosion is what scientists colloquially call the Big Bang. This idea gained significant traction as observational evidence continued to accumulate.
To study these origins, particle physicists use massive machines called particle accelerators. These machines smash subatomic particles together at immense energies to recreate the conditions of the early universe. The higher the energy achieved in these experiments, the further back in time scientists can effectively peek. These powerful devices allow researchers to probe the very foundations of matter. By smashing particles, they can observe the universe's earliest states.
The timeline of the early universe was a chaotic, high-energy environment. Microseconds after the Big Bang, protons and neutrons were just beginning to form from quarks. A few seconds later, it was still so hot that the forces holding protons and neutrons together were overpowered. It was not until hundreds of seconds after the Big Bang that the universe cooled enough for electrons to join nuclei to form atoms. During these initial moments, the cosmos was a swirling sea of subatomic matter. The intense heat prevented electrons from successfully joining with atomic nuclei.
Physicists are currently striving to reach even higher energy levels. Their ultimate goal is to reach a state where all fundamental forces are unified into one, which would provide a much clearer understanding of how the universe truly began. Achieving such extreme energies would simplify our grasp of cosmic origins. This unification would bridge the gap in our current scientific understanding.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The beginning of the universe, for beginners - Tom Whyntie
- Also: TED: Ideas change everything
- Also: ed.ted.com — The beginning of the universe, for beginners - Tom Whyntie | TED-Ed
- Also: blog.ted.com — TED-Ed and CERN unveil “The beginning of the universe” | TED Blog
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