When Edgar Allan Poe wrote “Eureka” in 1848 he
declared to a friend his thoughts on the origins of the universe would, “revolutionize
the world of Physical & Metaphysical Science.”
Indeed, Poe’s writings would become the first
postulations of what is now called the Big Bang Theory. The poet imaged a single “primordial particle”
created the universe in “one instantaneous flash.”
''From the one
particle, as a center,'' he wrote, ''let us suppose to be irradiated
spherically -- in all directions -- to immeasurable but still to definite
distances in the previously vacant space -- a certain inexpressibly great yet
limited number of unimaginably yet not infinitely minute atoms.''
The math didn’t catch
up to Poe’s hypothesis until the 20th century. The Big Bang Theory didn’t become mainstream
until the 1960’s. Even Einstein shrugged
it off until Hubble’s hard data leant credence to an expanding universe.
I have a question. Is the Big Bang supposed to be a singular
incident? If a universe can be created
by a single, primordial particle why aren’t there more Big Bangs when we have
innumerable particles? Why aren’t we harried
by multiple mini-Bangs in our everyday lives?
In other words, why am I not blown out of my chair right now by a mini-Bang? Shouldn’t the night sky be illuminated by thousands of mini-bangs? Shouldn’t the very
existence of Earth; nay, our universe be endangered by another expanding
universe? Are we on a cosmic collision
course?
I’m not a physicist,
nor a scientist by any means. My eyes
glaze over long mathematical equations.
I’m sure there’s a Godless genius out there who can come up with the
math to assuage my concerns.
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