A beginning or always existed? Which is hardest to accept?

A beginning or always existed?

Which is hardest to accept?

In 1960 a survey was completed of American scientists. How many do you think believed the universe was eternal and how many that the universe had a

beginning?

Two thirds said it was eternal

(no beginning and no end)

Which is the most commonly held theory today?

Big Bang (a beginning)

Steady State

The universe has no beginning and will have no end, it is eternal

The universe is expanding but new matter is being created all the time which keeps it

steady (stable)

This is a scientific view held by some scientists today

Before the Big Bang After the Big Bang In the Last 100 Years

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifFUbX5bFHM

What is the Big Bang Theory?

Key Points

The Big Bang theory is that the universe started with an explosion at a very small

point

The universe has been expanding ever since

Interpreting the Information

“in order to be able to understand the Big Bang you have to believe that something

came from nothing”

Is this going beyond science?

What could two different views be about the mystery of the time before the Big Bang?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhfnqboacV0

When we look at the stars they appear to be different colours. Why is that?

Which are moving away and which are moving towards us?

Red shift

• Most stars appear white

• In outer galaxies, stars appear red

• Why?

When objects move away from you

• The wavelength of the wave they are emitting gets longer.

• You can hear this by listening to a police siren.

• As the siren moves away, the pitch gets lower (wavelength increases).

Why do stars in outer galaxies appear red?

• Red light has a longer wavelength

wavelength

Why do stars in outer galaxies appear red?

• The wavelength of the light observed is longer than expected.

• Therefore the stars are moving away from us.

• This suggests that the universe is expanding.

The big bang theory does not convince me

The big bang theory assumes that human do not have a purpose

The big bang theory does not work with a religious theory

The big bang theory can never be proved

The big bang theory will become an outdated theory soon and be replaced by something else