The Big Bang: A Possible Black Hole Birth in a Parallel Universe
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The concept of existing within a black hole may not be as far-fetched as it appears. Black holes manipulate space and time to the extent that they can essentially swap these dimensions. For an observer falling into a black hole, the direction toward the singularity acts as time, while the time dimension behaves like space.
Two prominent implications arise from this phenomenon: (a) escaping from within the event horizon of a black hole is impossible since any potential exit leads back in time, and (b) the singularity within a black hole creates a "spacelike" area in spacetime that acts as a barrier, allowing anything that crosses it to interact with various spatial points along its extent.
Moreover, as one descends into the black hole, the infinitely compressed singularity seems to lie in their future. The outcomes upon reaching it remain a mystery, as our current understanding of physics falters at this juncture. Future theories regarding quantum gravity might provide insights, but presently, we lack clarity.
The Black Hole Big Bang Theory (BHBBT) posits that matter from a parent universe collapses into a black hole. To an observer in the parent universe, the singularity exists at a specific spatial point. However, for those within the daughter universe, this spatial point (r=0) transforms into their initial temporal point (t=0). Thus, what was once a spatial singularity is now a temporal one, akin to the Big Bang.
This implies that matter falling into the black hole vanishes from the parent universe, only to reemerge at the t=0 point of the daughter universe, completely disordered. Additionally, the emergence during the Big Bang isn't limited to the matter present at the black hole's inception; it includes all matter that has ever entered it, since time at the black hole's singularity runs perpendicular to time in the parent universe.
The containment of an entire universe within another can be attributed to the peculiar ways time and space can be distorted, stretched, and compressed. What seems like a dead end at the center of a black hole could actually serve as a gateway to the genesis of a new universe.
This mechanism allows for a network of interconnected universes, with parent universes giving rise to daughter universes, which in turn can create further generations, continuing infinitely. Consequently, rather than being merely 13.8 billion years old, this vast interconnected cosmos could be infinitely ancient, as pathways through time extend infinitely into the past, connecting one universe to another.
It is important to differentiate this from the Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, which I have critiqued in previous articles. Unlike the constant branching of universes based on quantum observations, this process is rooted in black hole formation, resulting in unique universes, although daughter universes may exhibit similarities to their progenitors—no duplicates of you or anyone else would exist.
Some theorists suggest that natural selection may occur among these universes, as only those capable of forming black holes can reproduce. This could potentially address the anthropic principle, which seeks to explain human existence, since each universe may operate under slightly different physical laws. Just as not every planet can foster life, not every universe can either; no many worlds interpretation is necessary—only the existence of distinct universes within a singular spacetime.
The Standard Big Bang (SBB) model describes the universe's inception—time, space, and matter all emerging from a singular point 13.8 billion years ago. According to Einstein's General Relativity, space was condensed into this singularity. As time commenced, space began to expand, carrying matter outward—a process that continues today, as evidenced by the observation that distant galaxies are receding from us. Furthermore, the farther away a galaxy is, the more rapidly it moves away, aligning with a theory of expanding space. An illustrative analogy is a balloon with dots: as the balloon inflates, all the dots move apart, with those farther apart separating more quickly.
Where is the center of the universe?
The center of the universe, where the Big Bang occurred, is not a location within space but rather a moment in time, t=0, marking the Big Bang event. The balloon analogy clarifies this, as the center of a balloon isn't on its surface. Space can be viewed as the balloon's surface, augmented by an additional dimension, resulting in three dimensions instead of two. The past can be likened to the interior of the balloon.
In contrast, black holes have their centers defined by a spatial point, r=0, relative to the singularity's coordinates. Thus, they fundamentally differ from the Big Bang singularity.
So how can we be inside a black hole?
A peculiar aspect of general relativity is its capacity to bend space and time to the extent that these dimensions can swap roles. Formally, this occurs when the signature of the spacetime metric alters within General Relativity.
The metric dictates how space and time function, influencing distance measurements at any given point. High concentrations of matter can distort space and time, altering the interpretation of these dimensions for different observers.
For an observer outside a black hole (the far observer), the singularity is a spatial point. Conversely, for an observer within the event horizon (the near observer), the roles of r and t in the spacetime metric are reversed, making the singularity a point in time, some moment in the future.
The BHBBT proposes that for certain singularities, once matter reaches it, it transitions into a new universe where the singularity represents the starting point of that universe.
To visualize this, consider an ant traversing a table. As it crawls along, it descends a slope that becomes increasingly steep until it reaches a vertical drop. Instead of culminating at a point, this drop expands outward into a cone. Through a miraculous quantum event, the ant passes through the point and emerges into the cone, entering a new universe that is perpendicular to the one it originated from.
Why is the BHBBT a good idea?
The BHBBT addresses several shortcomings of the Standard Big Bang model regarding the universe's formation. One notable issue is the SBB's failure to account for the universe's apparent homogeneity. Observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) indicate that the early universe appears to have been evenly mixed—this dilemma is often referred to as the horizon problem.
#### The Horizon Problem
The horizon problem presents a causality challenge. The area over which the CMB is observed to be uniform is significantly larger than what conventional causality, constrained by the speed of light, would permit. The prevalent solution is the inflationary theory, which posits that space expanded exponentially, carrying light and matter along, resulting in a thorough mixing—akin to a blender.
However, inflationary theory fails to resolve several other issues, including the fluctuation problem, super-Planck scale physics problem, initial singularity problem, and the cosmological constant. While the specifics of these problems may not be crucial, it's evident that inflation is not a comprehensive solution.
The horizon problem is addressed by the BHBBT, which indicates that matter falling into the black hole has ample time to interact with other incoming matter prior to reaching the singularity. Although this interaction is not on the daughter universe's timeline, it occurs in a quasi-time that exists within the black hole's event horizon, a realm that is neither part of the mother nor the daughter universe but exists in between.
#### The Flatness Problem
Another challenge associated with the SBB is the flatness problem. Observations suggest that the universe is remarkably flat, indicating that its matter density is precisely equal to the critical density of 1. This balance prevents it from being either hyperbolic (less than 1), which would lead to a constant rate of expansion, or spherical (greater than 1), which would result in eventual collapse.
Understanding why the universe has achieved this critical density and what constitutes this matter remains a mystery. The universe comprises three primary matter types: baryonic matter (the matter we typically recognize), dark matter, and a third form known as dark energy—whose nature remains elusive. Dark matter can be inferred from galaxy rotation and gravitational behavior, whereas dark energy is inferred from the universe's expansion, leading to the introduction of the cosmological constant in Einstein’s equations to balance the universe's density.
The belief is that if the critical density were not equal to 1, humanity would not exist. A density exceeding 1 would have led to an early collapse, while a density below 1 would have resulted in rapid expansion, inhibiting galaxy formation.
The BHBBT solves the flatness problem by linking the black hole interior to de Sitter space, which represents our universe and extends infinitely in time. Consequently, an observer approaching the black hole's singularity enters de Sitter space and continues indefinitely.
Interestingly, the only condition allowing a de Sitter space to connect with a black hole is a flat geometry. Thus, dark energy is not a form of matter energy, but rather a result of the spatial topology inherited from the black hole.
#### Black Hole Information Paradox
Lastly, the black hole information paradox posits that quantum information, represented by quantum particle states, vanishes when it falls into a black hole. However, within the BHBBT framework, this information does not disappear; it transitions from the mother universe to the daughter universe.
Is it true?
At present, the SBB model faces significant challenges, yet it only incorporates aspects verifiable through experiments and observations. The BHBBT is an intriguing theory that can be rigorously articulated within Einstein's General Relativity framework, requiring no new physics. It also provides an explanation for the Big Bang's occurrence. Philosophically, it offers compelling insights, such as addressing the anthropic principle and elucidating our existence, though it remains empirically unproven.
[Updated: The earlier version of this article stated that the future of the universe could be perceived from within the black hole event horizon. This is only feasible if the black hole possesses rotation and/or charge.]
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