Forgive Me I'm Curious- Big Bang

[magpie]

one day in one section of the cosmos while minding it's own business, there was a little explosion which apparently formed all the matter in the universe. where did it come from and how long will it stay here? makes all of our petty conflicts from time immemorial seem inconsequential. religion seems trivial and our survival unnecessary.

[Clanad]

For starters, you're wrong in phrasing your question on a couple of levels... such as "...one section of the cosmos...", "formed all the matter in the universe"... The Big Bang is[i the cosmos and [i]is] the universe. Nothing (which is impossible for our finite minds to grasp) existed before the event. Time began at the moment of the event... time did not exist prior.

Cosmologists can't explain exactly how long ago the event took place... they can describe (via equations) history back to 10^-43 seconds or so... (Planck Time) but not further... prior to that all four fundamental forces were unified (as well as additional forces, some propose).

The Big Bang is certainly a misleading misnomer (sorry for the mixed metaphors). There was no "Bang" as such... it was more accurately an "expansion" but an expansion that exceededthe speed of light for a very short time.

By the way... the type of expansion characteristics inherent in most models indicate the universe not to be a sphere at all, but rather is flat in its geometry.

[magpie]

thanks clanad
you are right our brains are not geared to take in the complexities of the universe/cosmos.
if it is shaped in any form what lies beyond that? what is the point of it all? if we live for our allotted time with serious thought and die what becomes of the intelligence that we gather? why does the universe/cosmos exist and keep on re-inventing itself if there is apparently no real purpose?
my dream is to know it.

[Old_Geezer]

Why need there be a 'point' ? It can be just 'is'. Any 'point' would be icing on the cake.

There is positive and negative energy, they most likely sum up to zero. Thus from zero it all would have come. Maybe at some point a return to zero it will go.

Or maybe reality will stretch over time to such an extent it simply breaks down.

Everything is inconsequential and nothing is inconsequential at the same time. What matters to the whole may be nothing, what matters to each of us matters a lot to us.

One accepts what is and makes the most of it; or unfortunately one fails to do so. You only know the present; choose a good one for yourself.

[Graham-W]

If you can get hold of "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson you will get a very basic understanding of the "Big Bang" and what followed. It is very basic but humorous and written in a way that is very easy to read. I highly recommend it to anyone with even a little science knowledge.

[jim360]

There are a couple of errors in that but I agree that it's a ripping good read and well worth buying. Bill Bryson has a great style and it is indeed nice to see a science book written from a non-scientist's perspective.

If you do have any more questions then feel free to ask. As to the purpose of the Universe... there's no sign that there is one, really.

[mibn2cweus]

There really is no point to the existence of our universe . . . apart from our ability to perceive it and comprehend its majesty which is a consequence of our curiosity for which we should never seek forgiveness.