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The Robertson–Walker minimum length (RWML) theory considers stochastically perturbed spacetime to describe an expanding universe governed by geometry and diffusion. We explore the possibility of static, torsionless universe eras with conserved energy density. We find that the RWML theory provides asymptotically static equations of state under positive curvature both far in the past and far into the future, with a Big Bang singularity in between. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review embarks on a captivating odyssey of tracing the birth of light from the Big Bang to its intricate interplay with materials. It delves into the fundamental truth that nonlinearity is ubiquitous, and induces fascinating spatiotemporal structures, chaos, and complexity in the medium. After a brief exploration of waves and the effect of nonlinearity in diverse domains, the review article focuses on the field of photonics. This comprehensive review dives into the captivating physics of solitons. This study explores the formation of solitons in optical fibers due to specific nonlinear effects within the material, such as the Kerr effect, the fundamental behaviour of solitons in integrable models, diverse interactions, and the formation of intricate soliton molecules, soliton complexes, and soliton crystals within the dissipative optical systems. We analyse key research on optical solitons and highlight the control of optical solitons for advancements in communication systems, signal processing, optical computing, quantum technologies, etc. Through a meticulous research survey, we find that there is a limited understanding of weak soliton interactions. Further, more theoretical models to be investigated for exploring anisotropy of material and optomechanical interplay. Bridging these gaps will definitely propel future soliton research.Article Highlights: Dance of Light and Matter: This review explores how light and matter interact, from their origins in the Big Bang to how they form special light waves called solitons in fibers. Solitons: Beyond Light Waves: We delve into solitons, self-reinforcing light waves, and their unique behaviors in different models. Along with studies on several temporal and spatial solitons it also includes recent studies on soliton molecules, soliton complexes, and soliton crystals with potential applications. Taming Light's Potential: The review highlights key areas for future research to unlock the full potential of solitons. Highlights the need to study the effect of weak interactions in multi-soliton dynamics in complex systems, tells the importance of exploring their behavior in new materials, and integrating them with nanophotonic devices. This work proposes the concept of 'photobot,' intelligent soliton molecules that we believe will be achievable in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the bouncing universe in a modified gravity model f (Q , T). The bouncing universe theory posits that the universe goes through periodic expansions and contractions, with a "bounce" occurring at the end of each contraction that leads to a new expansion. This theory suggests that our universe didn't emerge on its own out of nothing, but is instead the latest in a series of universes that have been expanding and contracting for eternity. It has gained renewed interest in recent years as a potential alternative to the Big Bang theory, which suggests that our universe began with a massive expansion from a singularity. According to the above explanations, first, we review of f (Q , T) gravity model, then the bouncing universe scenario according to the f (Q , T) gravity model in some special functions is analyzed in detail. We find that in which condition of parameters space, bouncing occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Media Report Overseas is the property of Edmondson Intercultural Enterprises and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article is an exercise in elementary mechanics and thermodynamics. It emphasizes the basic difference between mechanics and thermodynamics which lies in the irreversibility of the latter theory. Clausius [1] (Poggendorff's Annalen der Physik, p. 125, 1865) – the discoverer of entropy – was led to express the dichotomy in the famous slogan die Energie der Welt ist constant, and die Entropie der Welt strebt einem Maximum zu. (Gibbs put these slogans on top of his comprehensive memoir [2] (Gibbs, On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances, pp. 108–248, 1876).) And again Clausius [3] (Über den zweiten Hauptsatz der mechanischen Wärmetheorie, A lecture given at the general session of German natural scientists and physicians in Frankfurt/M on September 23, 1867, 1867) invented the notion of the heat death as the final destiny of the world. Nowadays it has become quiet around the heat death. Says Asimov [4] (Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 1975): "Though the laws of thermodynamics stand as firmly as ever, cosmologists... [show] a certain willingness to suspend judgement on the matter of heat death." And we, the authors of this article, might add that present-day cosmologists know so little about the universe that heat death is a tiny spot in the sea of ignorance and therefore not worthy of discussion by serious scientists. All the more reason to take a fresh look at the subject. Now, however, this article is most definitely not a contribution to formal and technical cosmology as described in the monograph [5] (Cosmology, 2008) by S. Weinberg, or the popular booklet [6] (Fundamentals. Ten Keys to Reality, 2021) by F. Wilczek. Far from it! We treat a monatomic ideal gas under adiabatic conditions in two situations: The gas in a cylinder under a locked piston which – at some instance – is released; and a homogeneous cloud of gas at rest when – at some time – gravitation is "switched on". It is only by a big leap of imagination that the two cases may be viewed as models for the universe. We also admit that we do not know whether the universe is adiabatic and free of working. Clausius and Gibbs thought so and we follow authority and investigate the validity of the prediction of the heat death and the related idea of the big crunch under these assumptions. We shall confirm the heat death as a very hot event but refute the big crunch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new notion of singularity in general relativity which complements the usual notions of geodesic incompleteness and curvature singularities. Concretely, we say that a spacetime has a volume singularity if there exist points whose future or past has arbitrarily small spacetime volume: in particular, smaller than a Planck volume. From a cosmological perspective, we show that the (geodesic) singularities predicted by Hawking’s theorem are also volume singularities. In the black hole setting, we show that volume singularities are always hidden by an event horizon, prompting a discussion of Penrose’s cosmic censorship conjecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship of theology and cosmology has been fruitful to both disciplines. This article suggests that the Judaeo-Christian tradition is a key influence in shaping the development of cosmology, and that physical cosmology as it arose in the twentieth century continues to give insights and pose questions to theology about the nature of creation, new creation, and what it means to be human. The context of this relationship has not only been the academic arena but rather many of the interactions have been developed the media and popular science. The article therefore takes an historical approach to illustrate specific issues and key thinkers, to give greater texture to how theology and cosmology have informed and continue to inform each other.

The Robertson–Walker minimum length (RWML) theory considers stochastically perturbed spacetime to describe an expanding universe governed by geometry and diffusion. We explore the possibility of static, torsionless universe eras with conserved energy density. We find that the RWML theory provides asymptotically static equations of state under positive curvature both far in the past and far into the future, with a Big Bang singularity in between.

The idea of cosmos unity is not recent. It has been proposed from various viewpoints throughout human history as the locus of life. To begin with, the African worldview of Ubuntu tells the story of life from the experience of a cosmic perspective that upholds the primacy of the community and asserts that a truly fulfilling and complete life is attainable only by those who belong to the cosmic whole. There is no 'I' without 'we'; "Because we are, I am". And, unless the "I" belongs to "we", there is no life, biological or ancestral, after death. On its part, Paul's cosmology, generally understood as proposing a two/three-tiered cosmos, has a different viewpoint when seen from a closer look. Even if he would have agreed with his religious ancestors that sin had divided reality and that diastema is to blame for the cosmos fragmentation, Paul still recounts the story of a cosmic whole. His theology of reconciliation makes that unity more evident when he suggests that through Christ, the cosmos is reconciled, and life is restored. To belong to the cosmic whole is to be reconciled with God and have eternal life. From a third perspective, today's new cosmological investigations have uncovered the unfolding story of the grand unity and complexity of the universe, which is the only locus of life known to humanity. In this universe of connectivity and entanglement, one can scientifically appreciate the absence of fragments and observe the complexified unity of all things indispensable for living. These three stories reveal that togetherness and the experience of the cosmic whole are fundamental for life and the taste of eternal life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neste artigo, examinamos a Inflação Cósmica, investigando sua origem histórica, implicações e contribuições para a compreensão do Universo primordial. Inicialmente, estabelecemos um contexto ao abordar a Relatividade Geral e os trabalhos pioneiros de cientistas como Friedmann, Lemaître e Hubble. Em seguida, identificamos os desafios inerentes ao modelo do Big Bang que motivaram Alan Guth a propor o mecanismo inflacionária. Posteriormente, delineamos os princípios fundamentais por trás da inflação, destacando as condições necessárias para que um modelo de inflação seja considerado viável na física e em seguida, mostramos como o mecanismo inflacionário resolve o problema de planura e de horizonte. Finalizamos a análise discutindo como observações contemporâneas corroboram com a inflação cósmica, especialmente no que concerne à explicação da origem das flutuações cósmicas e à formação das estruturas de larga escala no Universo.

We present a unified vision of human knowledge, the external world and ourselves in the frame of an overall unity of Everything. Two main sources of knowledge are considered to this goal: an admittedly reductionist version of Modern Science and a few key elements of Oriental Philosophy. Our view is based on an analogy between the fundamental unity of Vedic ontology and the Grand Unification scheme of Particle Physics traced along the evolution of the Universe. Our key statement is that these two sources of knowledge describe the same ontological story of separation, from an original One down to the multiplicity of the phenomenological world. We further substantiate this vision by drawing an analogy between the Residue of the Vedic sacrifice and the post-Big-Bang cosmological Matter-Antimatter Asymmetry. We also discuss a Big-Bang analogy between the postulated field of Inflationary Cosmology (the Inflaton) and the Vedic dissolution-decomposition of the cosmic progenitor Prajapati – whose body, according to Brahmanas texts, provides the material substrate of which the Universe is built.

The idea of “creatio ex nihilo” entered the arena of natural science with the advent of modern cosmology in the mid-twentieth century. This idea, that is, the creation of the universe out of nothing, seems to be a consequence of the widely accepted Big Bang Theory which implies the temporal finitude of the world. In order to avoid the theological and metaphysical implications of such an idea, some scenarios and scientific models have been proposed. According to one of the scenarios, the creation ex nihilo of the world is a causal physical phenomenon, and, hence, can be explained scientifically by appealing to the laws of nature.In this essay, I aim to discuss and criticize this idea.To fulfill this aim, in the introduction some achievements of modern cosmology will be very briefly introduced. In the next three sections, the notions of existence and nothingness, creation,scientific explanation, and singularity will be explored.It will be shown that what philosophers mean by these notions isradically different fromthe naïve ideas of some scientists. Hence, applying these notions to physical models of the origin of the universe is completely misleading.This work concludes that no scientific explanation appealing to the laws of nature can possibly explainthe creation of the universe out of nothing.

In this contribution, we sketch a branch‐cut quantum formulation of the Wheeler‐DeWitt equation analytically continued to the complex plane. As a starting point, we base our approach on the Hořava‐Lifshitz formulation of gravity, which employs higher spatial‐derivative terms of the spacetime curvature for renormalization reasons. Following standard procedures, the quantization of the Lagrangian density is achieved by raising the Hamiltonian, the dynamical variable ln−1[β(t)]$$ {\ln}^{-1}\left[\beta (t)\right] $$, which represents the the branch‐cut complex scale factor, and the conjugate momentum pln to the category of operators. We arrive at a Schrödinger‐type equation with a non‐linear potential. Solutions are then obtained and discussed for different potential parameterizations. The results reinforce the conception of a quantum leap between the contraction and expansion phases of the branch‐cut universe, in good agreement with the Bekenstein criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For (t,x) \in (0,\infty)\times \mathbb {T}^{\mathfrak {D}}, the generalized Kasner solutions (which we refer to as Kasner solutions for short) are a family of explicit solutions to various Einstein-matter systems that, exceptional cases aside, start out smooth but then develop a Big Bang singularity as t \downarrow 0, i.e., a singularity along an entire spacelike hypersurface, where various curvature scalars blow up monotonically. The family is parameterized by the Kasner exponents \widetilde {q}_1,\cdots,\widetilde {q}_{\mathfrak {D}} \in \mathbb {R}, which satisfy two algebraic constraints. There are heuristics in the mathematical physics literature, going back more than 50 years, suggesting that the Big Bang formation should be dynamically stable, that is, stable under perturbations of the Kasner initial data, given say at \lbrace t = 1 \rbrace, as long as the exponents are "sub-critical" in the following sense: \underset {\substack {I,J,B=1,\cdots, \mathfrak {D}\\ I < J}}{\max } \{\widetilde {q}_I+\widetilde {q}_J-\widetilde {q}_B\}<1. Previous works have rigorously shown the dynamic stability of the Kasner Big Bang singularity under stronger assumptions: (1) the Einstein-scalar field system with \mathfrak {D}= 3 and \widetilde {q}_1 \approx \widetilde {q}_2 \approx \widetilde {q}_3 \approx 1/3, which corresponds to the stability of the Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker solution's Big Bang or (2) the Einstein-vacuum equations for \mathfrak {D}\geq 38 with \underset {I=1,\cdots,\mathfrak {D}}{\max } |\widetilde {q}_I| < 1/6. In this paper, we prove that the Kasner singularity is dynamically stable for all sub-critical Kasner exponents, thereby justifying the heuristics in the literature in the full regime where stable monotonic-type curvature-blowup is expected. We treat in detail the 1+\mathfrak {D}-dimensional Einstein-scalar field system for all \mathfrak {D}\geq 3 and the 1+\mathfrak {D}-dimensional Einstein-vacuum equations for \mathfrak {D}\geq 10; both of these systems feature non-empty sets of sub-critical Kasner solutions. Moreover, for the Einstein-vacuum equations in 1+3 dimensions, where instabilities are in general expected, we prove that all singular Kasner solutions have dynamically stable Big Bangs under polarized U(1)-symmetric perturbations of their initial data. Our results hold for open sets of initial data in Sobolev spaces without symmetry, apart from our work on polarized U(1)-symmetric solutions. Our proof relies on a new formulation of Einstein's equations: we use a constant-mean-curvature foliation, and the unknowns are the scalar field, the lapse, the components of the spatial connection and second fundamental form relative to a Fermi–Walker transported spatial orthonormal frame, and the components of the orthonormal frame vectors with respect to a transported spatial coordinate system. In this formulation, the PDE evolution system for the structure coefficients of the orthonormal frame approximately diagonalizes in a way that sharply reveals the significance of the Kasner exponent sub-criticality condition for the dynamic stability of the flow: the condition leads to the time-integrability of many terms in the equations, at least at the low derivative levels. At the high derivative levels, the solutions that we study can be much more singular with respect to t, and to handle this difficulty, we use t-weighted high order energies, and we control non-linear error terms by exploiting monotonicity induced by the t-weights and interpolating between the singularity-strength of the solution's low order and high order derivatives. Finally, we note that our formulation of Einstein's equations highlights the quantities that might generate instabilities outside of the sub-critical regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Media Report Overseas is the property of Edmondson Intercultural Enterprises and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article, as a section of our book Some Thoughts on Total Being and the Limits of Human Comprehension, contrasts two representative religions, Eastern Hinduism, and Western Christianity in various aspects such as the origin of the universe, time and space, life, and the meaning of human existence...It argues that Christianity, like Hinduism and science, has yet to provide a completely satisfactory and comprehensive explanation of overall existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the universe is treated as a quantum system, it is described by a wave function. This wave function is a function not only of the matter fields, but also of spacetime. The no-boundary proposal is the idea that the wave function should be calculated by summing over geometries that have no boundary to the past, and over regular matter configurations on these geometries. Accordingly, the universe is finite, self-contained and the big bang singularity is avoided. Moreover, given a dynamical theory, the no-boundary proposal provides probabilities for various solutions of the theory. In this sense it provides a quantum theory of initial conditions. This review starts with a general overview of the framework of quantum cosmology, describing both the canonical and path integral approaches, and their interpretations. After recalling several heuristic motivations for the no-boundary proposal, its consequences are illustrated with simple examples, mainly in the context of cosmic inflation. We review how to include perturbations, assess the classicality of spacetime and how probabilities may be derived. A special emphasis is given to explicit implementations in minisuperspace, to observational consequences, and to the relationship of the no-boundary wave function with string theory. At each stage, the required analytic and numerical techniques are explained in detail, including the Picard–Lefschetz approach to oscillating integrals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Darwin’s 18th century theory of evolution was an elegant, sensible, and logical explanation of observed data. It was embraced by the scientifi c community of the time since it offered an alternative to the creation narrative in the Bible. Proponents of the theory were convinced that the origin and multitude of life on earth could be fully explained by evolution and natural selection. Over time, the theory of evolution acquired normative status, which led to the totality of human knowledge being interpreted through a fi lter of random chance. Opponents of this materialistic view were in many cases branded as fringe fi gures. Subsequently, however, science and technology have developed dramatically, and new observations have led to a growing number of questions that cannot be explained by an unguided, random process. In this article (the fi rst in a series of four on this topic), a few examples of such contemporary observations are presented. These include: • Origin of the universe Seminal work by scholars such as Slipher, Hubble, Lemaïtre, Einstein and others indicate that the universe came into being at a specifi c moment. This was contrary to the idea of a perpetual universe, as believed by e.g., classical Greek scholars. The implication of a moment of creation is that there must have been a “cause of creation” (Creator) that is not bounded by, or subject to, matter, energy, space, or time, because none of these existed before the moment of creation. • Fine-tuning of the universe Since the 1950’s, numerous scientifi c discoveries indicate that life depends on a highly unlikely combination of forces, characteristics, and balances in the universe, such as e.g., fundamental forces that have exactly the right magnitudes, contingent properties that exhibit exactly the right characteristics, as well as the initial confi guration of matter and energy perfectly tuned to allow for anything to exist. These life-permitting properties of the universe fall within highly improbable, precise boundaries, commonly referred to as “anthropic contingencies” by materialist scientists. If any one of these properties were changed even in an infi nitesimal way, the life-promoting conditions, found in the universe would not exist. Not only is the observed simultaneous, conditional accuracy highly improbable, but there appears to be no conceivable physical cause (reason) or philosophical necessity why these parameters exhibit the particular values they do. Contrary to scientists with a materialistic worldview, who attribute the fi ne)tuning to a happy accident (a random accident of physics), a growing number of scientists and philosophers conclude that the universe was designed with great care by a Creator who transcends time, matter, space, and energy in order to have achieved the fi ne-tuning of conditions before the moment of creation. • Age of the universe The age of the universe extends from the time of the Big Bang, which is currently calculated to have occurred 13.8 billion years ago (±0.020 billion years), according to the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) model. Contemporary empirical evidence indicates that the universe consists of approximately 68% dark energy, 27% dark matter and only 5% matter. This means that although the ΛCDM theory has a thorough scientifi c basis, it still represents imperfect knowledge of only approximately 5% of everything that exists. • Origin of the earth The conditions necessary for the earth to form have been determined before the moment of creation. A literal understanding of the narrative in Genesis is problematic since the sun and the moon were only created on day four. To summarily interpret the fi rst 3 “days” of creation as 24-hour days is therefore without any justifi cation, because the heavenly bodies that are responsible for 24-hour days as we know them, did not yet exist. From this it can be deduced that a 24-hour-a-day interpretation of the days of creation, is at most a human construct and that the repeated use of the words, “and there was evening, and there was morning”, should rather be seen as a delimitation of events. • Age of the earth Pre-scientifi c thinking about the age of the earth was dominated by a fundamentalist, biblical paradigm. This included calculating the age of the earth according to generations given in the Bible, which resulted in general consensus that the earth was created on “the entrance of the night preceding the 23rd day of October [...] the year before Christ 4004”. Geological and paleontological evidence however made it clear that well over 6,000 years must have passed in the formation of the earth. This empirical evidence was ultimately the cause of the literal understanding of Genesis’ six days of creation being openly questioned. Immanent scientists such as Newton (1687), Hutton (1788) and Lyell (1830-1833) took a uniformitarian paradigm as point of departure in their calculations about the age of the earth. Contemporary evidence indicates that the earth’s age is approximately 4,6 billion years. • Origin and age of life The origin and age of humankind has been central in debates about evolution since the publication of the theory almost 200 years ago. Currently, however, sources of information such as genetics and genetically based studies (e.g., Ontogeny, Phylogeny and Evolutionary Biology) have, together with developments in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis since the early 1970’s, substantially added to the knowledge obtained from the fossil record. A vast volume of data must have been generated to account for the multitude of life observed (including humankind). The visible range and depth of information, as well as the survival rate within the time available, make “coincidence” as a method of gathering the information, logically impossible. Only one out of every hundred species that could mutate survived, which means that to obtain the correct DNA information the mutation rate would have had to be 99% higher, or the period 99% longer than observed in natural science. The only plausible origin of such information is an intelligent designer. In conclusion, the central theoretical premise of this article series is that contemporary observations in all disciplines of natural science are best explained by the existence and involvement of God in creation. Academic integrity requires that scholars depart from a normative materialistic interpretation of empirical data (i.e., the a-priori exclusion of any metaphysical interpretations), which is currently still widely adhered to. The authors’ point of departure is a Reformed 3 understanding of reality. The four articles all have the same structure, namely a problem statement, a natural science discussion, an exploration of what information the Bible offers on the various topics, closed by a conclusion. The article series is supposed to provide a broad, critical overview of the topic of normative materialism in the natural sciences and no new research results per se are presented. However, the insights reached in the respective conclusions are unique, and the authors are of the opinion that they contribute to the existing knowledge about the relationship between faith and science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milne-like spacetimes are a class of hyperboloidal FLRW spacetimes which admit continuous spacetime extensions through the big bang, τ = 0 . In a previous paper [27], it was advocated that the existence of this big bang extension could have applications to fundamental problems in cosmology, which illustrates the physical importance of such extensions. By definition, the scale factor for a Milne-like spacetime satisfies the past asymptotic assumption a (τ) = τ + o (τ 1 + ε) as τ → 0 for some ε > 0 . The existence of the big bang extension follows from writing the metric in conformal Minkowskian coordinates and using the past asymptotic assumption of the scale factor. This asymptotic assumption implies a (τ) = τ + o (τ) as τ → 0 . In this paper, we show that a (τ) = τ + o (τ) is not sufficient to achieve a big bang extension, but it is necessary (provided its derivative converges as τ → 0 ). We also show that the ε in a (τ) = τ + o (τ 1 + ε) is not necessary to achieve a big bang extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of "creatio ex nihilo" entered the arena of natural science with the advent of modern cosmology in the mid-twentieth century. This idea, that is, the creation of the universe out of nothing, seems to be a consequence of the widely accepted Big Bang Theory which implies the temporal finitude of the world. In order to avoid the theological and metaphysical implications of such an idea, some scenarios and scientific models have been proposed. According to one of the scenarios, the creation ex nihilo of the world is a causal physical phenomenon, and, hence, can be explained scientifically by appealing to the laws of nature. In this essay, I aim to discuss and criticize this idea. To fulfill this aim, in the introduction some achievements of modern cosmology will be very briefly introduced. In the next three sections, the notions of existence and nothingness, creation, scientific explanation, and singularity will be explored. It will be shown that what philosophers mean by these notions isradically different fromthe naïve ideas of some scientists. Hence, applying these notions to physical models of the origin of the universe is completely misleading. This work concludes that no scientific explanation appealing to the laws of nature can possibly explainthe creation of the universe out of nothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author William Stukeley of Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton's Life published in 1752 wrote: "... After dinner, the weather being warm, we went into the garden and drank thea, under the shade of some apple trees.he told me, he was just in the same situation, as when formerly, the notion of gravitation came into his mind. It was occasion'd by the fall of an apple, as he sat in contemplative mood. Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground, thought he to himself.." Newton seeing this apple fall formulated gravity and went on to show that the movement of the moon and planets and other heavenly bodies is due to the same force. What if Newton had instead seen Galaxies moving due to an expanding universe, would he have then wondered if the apple falling, and all movement is due to an expanding universe? This short essay introduces a simple thought experiment to analyze this possibility. It concludes that if such is the case the passage of time and the expansion of the universe is the one and the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apresentamos neste artigo a transcrição francesa e a tradução para o português da recémdescoberta entrevista de Georges Lemaître sobre a Teoria do Big Bang, efetuada pela emissora belga Vlaamse Radio-en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT), em 1964 e que, desde então, considerava-se como desaparecida. Para uma melhor contextualização, apresentamos também uma visão panorâmica sobre a Teoria do Big Bang, as contribuições e motivações de Lemaître, bem como outros vários aspectos históricos, talvez não tão bem conhecidos do público menos especializado.

The idea of cosmos unity is not recent. It has been proposed from various viewpoints throughout human history as the locus of life. To begin with, the African worldview of Ubuntu tells the story of life from the experience of a cosmic perspective that upholds the primacy of the community and asserts that a truly fulfilling and complete life is attainable only by those who belong to the cosmic whole. There is no ‘I’ without ‘we’; “Because we are, I am”. And, unless the “I” belongs to “we”, there is no life, biological or ancestral, after death. On its part, Paul’s cosmology, generally understood as proposing a two/three-tiered cosmos, has a different viewpoint when seen from a closer look. Even if he would have agreed with his religious ancestors that sin had divided reality and that diastema is to blame for the cosmos fragmentation, Paul still recounts the story of a cosmic whole. His theology of reconciliation makes that unity more evident when he suggests that through Christ, the cosmos is reconciled, and life is restored. To belong to the cosmic whole is to be reconciled with God and have eternal life. From a third perspective, today’s new cosmological investigations have uncovered the unfolding story of the grand unity and complexity of the universe, which is the only locus of life known to humanity. In this universe of connectivity and entanglement, one can scientifically appreciate the absence of fragments and observe the complexified unity of all things indispensable for living. These three stories reveal that togetherness and the experience of the cosmic whole are fundamental for life and the taste of eternal life.

In the present study, a new model of the universe, based on using a generalized form of the linearly varying deceleration parameter, is presented. This model is an oscillating expansion form and simultaneously a contraction form at different stages. It behaves normally as a conventional Big Bang model till the first half-age i.e. at a Big Rip (It represents the maximum value of the expansion of the universe). Then, it reverses its behavior up to the Big Crunch. Such a model has the same physical behavior at its beginning and ending stages. During its first half-age and second half-age, it begins with a singular stage and ends with a non-singular one. Yet, in the first half-age, the model covers a linearly varying deceleration parameter model. Furthermore, it covers the law of Berman and corresponds to the periodic universe of the varying deceleration parameter of the second degree in the Riemannian geometry. The effect of the constant terms in the proposed deceleration parameter is examined and discussed. Also, this article introduces a new model to explain the evolution of the universe by using the Riemannian geometry, together with a constant boundary connecting the two scaling parameters which have some quantum properties. The proposed model predicts the future of the universe after the Big Rip. The results obtained match the recent cosmological observations at the present moment. Finally, the relationship between the spin tensor and the redshift is obtained and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is advisable to avoid and, even better, demystify such grandiose terms as "infinity" or "singularity" in the description of the cosmos. Its proliferation does not positively contribute to the understanding of key concepts that are essential for an updated account of its origin and evolutionary history. It will be here argued that, as a matter of fact, there are no infinities in physics, in the real world: all that appears, in any given formulation of nature by means of mathematical equations, actually arises from extrapolations, which are made beyond the bounds of validity of the equations themselves. Such a crucial point is rather well known, but too often forgotten, and is discussed in this paper with several examples; namely, the famous Big Bang singularity and others, which appeared before in classical mechanics and electrodynamics, and notably in the quantization of field theories. A brief description of the Universe's history and evolution follows. Special emphasis is put on what is presently known, from detailed observations of the cosmos and, complementarily, from advanced experiments of very high-energy physics. To conclude, a future perspective on how this knowledge might soon improve is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a similar way to the case of Education in Chemistry, where it is implicitly assumed that the elements of the Periodic Table exist with their "natural" abundances without their origin and evolution being ever discussed, the case of the origin of protons and neutrons that constitute the matter that we are made of is generally neglected. Discussions of the Big Bang in the classroom do not address or emphasize into one of the main foundations of this model: the early Universe was quite different from the current one, probably symmetrical in matter and antimatter, and there was a time when this changed irreversibly to produce, after billions of years, the Universe we observe today. We present in this work a pedagogical discussion of the complex problem of the origin of matter in the Universe, with emphasis on the observed facts and on the qualitative conditions that the scenarios need to explain them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists, the media, and the courts routinely reject critiques of evolutionary ideas by arguing that such critiques are religious. Conversely, critiques of the straightforward reading of Genesis texts assert that such texts are not scientific. We show that this situation developed from the ideas of Baruch Spinoza, a 17th-century philosopher who argued that philosophy (including science) must be separated from theology. For him, the goal of philosophy is to determine truth, while the goal of theology is piety. Spinoza correspondingly denied the supernatural inspiration of Scripture and developed his own philosophy, which can be identified as a form of pantheism. Spinoza's ideas strongly influenced the Enlightenment and maintain a grip on intellectuals to the present. A pantheism similar to Spinoza's is now effectively an established religion in our culture. This pantheism masquerades as science, while denying any supernatural deity. Spinoza's legacy in today's society is consequently a conflict between two religions: pantheism versus Biblical Christianity. Christians should recognize this influence and eschew compromises with pantheistic religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spacetime singularities are often held to be pathologies which need to be resolved, and researchers working on the foundations of physics often pin their hopes on the elusive quantum theory of gravity to offer a way to resolve singularities. What is less agreed upon is what such a resolution would amount to: what criteria would a theory of quantum gravity have to fulfill to resolve spacetime singularities? In this paper, I critically analyze one criterion proposed within canonical quantum cosmology for the avoidance of the big bang singularity, to draw philosophical lessons about how to interpret such criteria. The criterion, when applied to symmetry-reduced cosmological models, claims to avoid the big bang by making the wavefunction of the universe vanish 'at' the singularity. I ask whether it works as intended, and even if it does, whether avoiding the singularity is the same as resolving the singularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper collates research on the ideas about the origin of the universe and the planet Earth that pupils from Years 5 to 8 of primary school in Belgrade have. Such knowledge should open space for us to further analyse the attitude of young people towards science and the world it describes. With them, it is possible to gain a better insight into the basic ideas about reality that people build and adopt in general. The starting hypothesis is that pupils themselves create hybrid concepts that combine knowledge from classes, ideas from popular culture, and modern scientific theories that are available to them through various media. The cosmological knowledge offered to pupils in geography classes will be analysed, along with the popular discourse accessible to young people. Finally, a preliminary ethnographic study of pupils’ cosmogonic ideas conducted on a pilot sample will be presented. The aim of the research is to understand the pupils’ fundamental knowledge about reality, about the formation of a cognitive framework in which pupils inscribe their own ideas about the place of the Earth and life in space.

De forma similar ao caso da Educação em Química, onde é implícitamente suposto que os elementos da Tabela Periódica existem com suas abundâncias “naturais”, sem que sua origem e evolução sejam discutidas jamais, o caso da origem dos prótons e nêutrons que constituem a matéria que nos rodeiae constitui é geralmente negligenciado. As discussões do Big Bang na sala de aula não reparam nem aprofundam um dos principais alicereces daquele modelo: o Universo primitivo era bem diferente do atual, provavelmente simétrico em matéria e antimatéria, e houve uma época onde isto mudou irreversivelmente para produzir, depois de bilhões de anos, o Universo “frio” que hoje observamos. Apresentamos neste trabalho uma discussão pedagógica do complexo problema da origem da matéria no Universo, com ênfase nos fatos observados e nas condições qualitativas que os cenários precisam para explicá-los.

A modeling of natural phenomena based on the principle of 100% efficiency of mathematics is presented. The fundamental distinction between abstract and material entities is discussed and the probabilistic nature of natural phenomena is explained. The paper provides explanations for many observed phenomena. A general definition of the virtual state of matter, the concept of entropic interaction, and the phenomenon of quantum entanglement is given. An additional interpretation of the Hubble law is considered. It is shown how local entropy changes in world space lead to the bifurcation of its state and subsequent “Big Bangs” with the formation of an infinite number of parallel universes that do not interact with each other. The correlation between the change in entropy and the rhythm of time, which is valid for isolated non-equilibrium thermodynamic systems, including our Universe, is presented. The fundamental principles of thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and the theory of relativity, as well as the origin and evolution of our Universe are discussed. An alternative explanation for the curvature of space is given for the effects of deflection of a light beam towards the sun, the shift of the perihelion of Mercury, the periastron of binary stars, and the gravitational slowing of the rhythm of time. The interference pattern is considered as the result of small-angle scattering in a weak potential field without using the wave mechanism and is interpreted as the result of the entropic interaction of photons or particles passing through the corresponding slots. The presented paper applies equally to both living and non-living nature objects, and contains information about the laws of dialectics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cyclic cosmological theory called “Consciousness Endomitosis Theory” (CET) is proposed. Whatever is taken as being real, any particle, any structure in the universe, any object, or any type of interaction, all of them are derivative from consciousness, and are described as modulations of consciousness. In CET, consciousness is assumed to be the field from which all other fields described by general relativity and quantum mechanics emerge and into which all of them coalesce. Other cosmological cyclic models can be partly embedded within CET or can be shown to be compatible with it, including some apparently distant models like Steinhardt and Turok’s two-brane cyclic model, as well as other models much closer to CET principles, like Amoroso’s Noetic Field Theory (2000, 2003, 2006) and Di Biase’s Quantum Holographic Informational Model (2019). In CET, consciousness is metaphorically compared to a spherical cell in which an iterative endomitotic process takes place, a process that flows into the “Big Bang.” Once the evolution of visible universe is completed, “Big Crunch” triggers endomitosis reversal. Time, space, energy, mass and the four fundamental interactions are reinterpreted in the light of this cosmic dynamics of consciousness.