{"id":60952,"date":"2022-02-19T15:42:20","date_gmt":"2022-02-19T19:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=60952"},"modified":"2022-02-27T21:05:35","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T01:05:35","slug":"what-is-the-singularity-theory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-the-singularity-theory\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Singularity Theory in Physics?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the singularity theory? Why did Hawking come to question his theory of Big Bang singularity? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawking\u2019s mathematical proof that space and time had a beginning, according to general relativity, was what first propelled him to fame within the physics community. Later, reflecting on his own theoretical proof about the big bang singularity, Hawking came to believe that they imply the theory of general relativity<\/a> is incomplete, not that the universe actually did begin at a singularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more to learn about the singularity theory and why Hawking came to believe that it indicates a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A Quantum Theory of Gravity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the inflationary big bang theory<\/a> explained why some<\/em> of the initial conditions of the universe were just right, Hawking felt that further theoretical development was needed to scientifically (that is, without invoking a divine creator who could arbitrarily fine-tune the universe for the benefit of humankind) explain how the universe came to be the way it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This led Hawking to suggest that a quantum theory<\/a> of gravity might provide a better solution<\/strong>, for two reasons: First, it would eliminate the \u201csingularity\u201d (which we\u2019ll discuss in a moment). Second, it would address the fine-tuning problem<\/a> more comprehensively. However, before we discuss these two benefits, let\u2019s take a step back and discuss what the \u201csingularity\u201d is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Big-Bang Singularity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By the time Hawking was in graduate school, the expansion of the universe was widely accepted, and much of Hawking\u2019s early work in physics focused on using general relativity to model the early universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what is the singularity theory? Hawking (along with George Ellis and Roger Penrose) was able to show that, based on general relativity, the universe began at a \u201csingularity,\u201d<\/strong> that is, a point where the entire universe was compressed into an infinitely small point, with infinite density and infinite curvature of space-time. Hawking points out that, at a singularity, all the laws of physics break down, because space-time itself ceases to exist. After all, if you confine space into an infinitely small space, then you don\u2019t have any space left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since time is relative to the curvature of space (or, equivalently, to gravity), this means that time also ceases to exist at a singularity. Thus, Hawking\u2019s work showed that according to general relativity, time itself began at a finite point in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawking\u2019s mathematical proof that space and time had a beginning, according to general relativity, was what first propelled Hawking to fame within the physics community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did Hawking Prove the Existence of God?<\/strong>

Some Christians have used Hawking\u2019s proof that time had a beginning as an argument for the existence of God<\/a> and the divine creation of the universe. 

Specifically, physicists sometimes define time as the dimension in which cause and effect take place, such that causes always come before the effects that they produce. If time itself came into being at some point (an effect), then there must be a cause that exists independent of the space-time<\/em> of our universe to bring it into existence (cause the effect), because there is no time<\/em> prior to that<\/em> for a cause within our universe to trigger the big bang. 

The Bible portrays God as the creator of the universe and also as being independent of the space and time that humans are confined to. Thus, the beginning of time at a singularity implies the existence of some causal agent that resembles the God of the Bible.

As we\u2019ll see later in this Question, Hawking counters this argument by suggesting that a quantum theory of gravity will eliminate the singularity.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eliminating the Singularity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Later, reflecting on his own theoretical proofs about the big bang singularity, Hawking came to believe that they imply the theory of general relativity is incomplete, not that the universe actually did begin at a singularity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawking points out that the infinite density and temperature of the universe at the singularity are red flags, indicating a problem with the theory, because quantities are never infinite in real life. Just as quantum mechanics was developed to solve the problem that classical theories predicted infinite radiation from a hot body, a quantum theory of gravity would eliminate the singularities (and infinite quantities) that general relativity predicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, according to Hawking, in quantum gravity, spacetime could take the shape of a closed four-dimensional surface (like a sphere, except that the surface of a sphere is just two-dimensional instead of four-dimensional) with no beginning or ending point. Thus, he refers to this concept as the \u201cno-boundary model.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawking explains that the \u201cno-boundary model\u201d makes sense because, to model gravity in quantum mechanics, you have to use \u201cimaginary numbers\u201d for the time variable. (In mathematics, an \u201cimaginary number<\/a>\u201d is the square root of a negative number.) According to Hawking, if you allow the time variable in a quantum model to have an \u201cimaginary\u201d value, then there is no longer any difference between the time dimension and the spatial dimensions of the model. This means that …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative Methods of Eliminating the Singularity<\/strong>

Hawking is not the only physicist who thinks the big-bang singularity indicates a problem. In addition to Hawking\u2019s \u201cno-boundary\u201d idea, other physicists have proposed a variety of hypothetical models that eliminate the singularity one way or another.

For example, Christoff Wetterich suggested that perhaps, instead of starting with a \u201cbig bang\u201d in the finite past, the universe might have existed forever as a small, cold system that eventually began expanding at an accelerating rate, up until the end of the inflationary period. This has been termed the \u201cslow thaw model\u201d<\/a>, and would be possible if the mass of all subatomic particles is gradually increasing over time. As evidence for this possibility, Wetterich cites research on the \u201cHiggs Boson,\u201d a subatomic particle that should theoretically have no mass, but is observed to have mass because of its interaction with a quantum energy field called the \u201cHiggs field.\u2019 He claims that the mass of all<\/em> particles might be determined by a uniform quantum field that permeates all of spacetime, whose strength is steadily increasing over time.

Similarly, Ethan Seigel argues that the inflationary phase erased so much information<\/a> that there\u2019s no reason to assume the big bang started from a singularity. He points out that the cosmic microwave background<\/a> gives us a picture of the universe right at the end of inflation, but we don\u2019t have any data on what the universe was like before that. So, to get to the big-bang singularity, we have to extrapolate beyond our data, making arbitrary assumptions about how matter behaves under conditions we can\u2019t observe. Thus, he doesn\u2019t propose a single alternative model for the pre-inflation history of the universe<\/a>. Instead, he points out that it could have been anything: Maybe the universe started from a singularity. Maybe it existed forever in a small volume before the period of inflation. Maybe it had a different and complex history before that. But we have no way of knowing or finding out through observation.

Finally, the \u201cbouncing universe model<\/a>\u201d is regaining traction<\/a> with some people. The bouncing universe model postulates that the universe goes through an endless cycle of expansion and contraction. Right now, it\u2019s expanding, but it will eventually reach some maximum size and start contracting. When it gets down to a very small volume, something will cause it to rebound and the cycle of expansion and contraction will repeat itself. 

The bouncing universe model was discarded by most scientists because it is hard to reconcile with the observation that the universe appears to be expanding too fast to recollapse. Although it is regaining some popularity, it is not clear how new proponents propose to address this problem.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eliminating the Fine-Tuning Problem<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recall from the previous Question that quantum mechanics doesn\u2019t give you an exact path for a particle that you\u2019re modeling\u2014rather, it gives you a probability map showing where the particle is most likely to be. You find this probability map by adding up all the possible paths that the particle could take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hawking conjectures that if you could model the big bang with a quantum theory of gravity, this would completely eliminate the need to fine-tune the initial conditions<\/strong> of the universe, because the universe wouldn\u2019t have just one set of initial conditions, but every possible<\/em> set of initial conditions. Therefore, the conditions we observe will have to show up somewhere<\/em> on the probability map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has a similar effect to postulating an infinite number of universes, as the strong anthropic principle<\/a> does, but without contradicting the scientific method as the SAP does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testing Hawking\u2019s No-Boundary Theory<\/strong>

As we\u2019ve discussed, Hawking says a good theory must make testable predictions. So what predictions does his no-boundary model of the universe make?

One piece of evidence that Hawking presents is that quantum effects in the early universe would have caused slight nonuniformities in the cosmic background radiation<\/a>. These slight variations were observed and mapped using the cosmic background explorer<\/a> (COBE) satellite in 1989. However, Hawking does not discuss whether these quantum fluctuations are unique to his no-boundary model.

Hawking concedes that, as yet, there is no complete quantum theory of gravity. Thus, his no-boundary model is really a conjecture about how future theories may allow us to resolve the issues with general-relativity-based models of the big bang, not a complete theory in itself. This limits his ability to make testable predictions based on it.

However, if space-time forms a closed surface as Hawking proposes, then one prediction it does make is that the universe will eventually stop expanding and begin contracting, since it would ultimately have to get back to where it started (just like if you travel east around the equator far enough, you\u2019ll eventually get back to where you started). 

Since the book\u2019s publication, astronomers have determined that the expansion of the universe is actually accelerating<\/em>, implying that it will probably continue to expand indefinitely and never collapse back in on itself. This doesn\u2019t bode well for Hawking\u2019s no-boundary model.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Recap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to the theory of general relativity, the universe began at a \u201csingularity\u201d where all matter, energy, space, and time came into existence at an infinitely small point and expanded outward from there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the singularity theory? Why did Hawking come to question his theory of Big Bang singularity? Hawking\u2019s mathematical proof that space and time had a beginning, according to general relativity, was what first propelled him to fame within the physics community. Later, reflecting on his own theoretical proof about the big bang singularity, Hawking came to believe that they imply the theory of general relativity is incomplete, not that the universe actually did begin at a singularity. Read more to learn about the singularity theory and why Hawking came to believe that it indicates a problem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":60955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,160,6],"tags":[300],"class_list":["post-60952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philosophy","category-science","category-spiritual","tag-a-brief-history-of-time","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is the Singularity Theory in Physics? - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hawking\u2019s mathematical proof that the universe had a beginning propelled him to fame. He later questioned the singularity theory. 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