What triggered the cyclic model of the origin of the universe?
The cyclic model of the origin of the universe was proposed as an alternative to the Big Bang theory. It suggests that the universe undergoes an eternal cycle of expansion and contraction, with each cycle beginning with a big bang and ending with a big crunch.
The cyclic model was triggered by the observation that the expansion of the universe seems to be accelerating, rather than slowing down as expected. This observation led to the proposal of dark energy, a hypothetical form of energy that is causing the acceleration. However, instead of postulating the existence of dark energy, some physicists suggested that the accelerated expansion might be a result of the gravitational effects of other branes in a higher-dimensional space-time.
According to the cyclic model, our universe is just one brane (a three-dimensional hypersurface) among many in a higher-dimensional space. The cycles of expansion and contraction are triggered by the oscillations of these branes in the higher-dimensional space-time. During each cycle, the branes collide and generate a big bang, leading to the birth of a new universe.
The cyclic model provides a possible explanation for the observed acceleration of the universe by proposing that the expansion is driven by the gravitational interaction between branes. This avoids the need to invoke dark energy.
However, it is important to note that the cyclic model is still a speculative idea and has not been substantiated by empirical evidence. It remains an active area of research and is subject to ongoing debate and refinement.