Let's have a look at the front page then...
ooh I like this story -
I love it when people are shown a vague phrase and conclusions are drawn from it.Most Americans don't believe in the Big Bang — here's why they should
The phrase Americans were shown is thus...
And they're asked to say how confident they are this statement is true.The universe began 13.8 billion years ago with a big bang
It's a vague comment. I wouldn't say I'm very confident about this, but I'm given no chance to explain why, so I'm automatically stupid, right?
Let's rephrase the comment to suit me...
Now I'm very confident.The universe as we know it began 13.8 billion years ago with a big bang
The article goes on to show us proof of how we know the universe started with a bang. There are three points, which are all very solid points indeed, but they are not proof the universe STARTED with a bang, they are very strong evidence that there was a huge bang 13.8 billion years ago, which humans have then assumed was the start of the universe. The only reason people jump to this conclusion is because people can't think what might have been going on before the bang, it's just easier to say that was the beginning. But this is not proof, it's merely compelling evidence based on the limitations of our mental capacity.
There are other theories which allow for a big bang, while not insisting it was the start of the universe. The big bang could still be happening for all we know, it could be a central point of the universe, where a huge expansion-contraction cycle reaches its climax.
I don't like the idea of a start to the universe. It implies an end. And it also implies divine intervention. How did it start? I prefer to imagine that the universe has always been here, and has always been rotating around a central point. That makes more sense to me than the universe starting with a bang.
Oh wait we're talking about vox, not the big bang. Sorry did I hijack?





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