The Big Bang: "Origin of the Universe"

Have you ever wondered how everything came into being? How was this universe and all that is encompassed in it created? Did everything just appear or was it a result of a higher power? Was evolution prevalent in the universe's creation? Many theories have been created in an attempt to explain the birth of the universe. Some theories are purely based on science, while others are based on beliefs and religion. The theories created by astrophysicists strongly differ from religion based theories.

The first theory used in attempt to describe the creation of the universe is the "steady state theory of cosmology". This theory suggests that the universe "simply exists without changing with time". Since there is little evidence to support this theory, many astrophysicists disregard this explanation. It is evident that the universe expands and even though expansion can be explained in a "steady state universe", this theory is highly disregarded for this reason among many others. Majority of the time, the "steady state theory of cosmology" is included for historical purposes only due to its lack of credibility. The next theory used in attempt to explain the creation of universe is the most commonly accepted, which is known as the Big Bang theory.

The Big Bang theory postulates that our universe was non-existent until about 12 to 14 million years ago. Astrophysicists claim that vacuum fluctuation caused the creation of a singularity. This singularity became our universe. At the very beginning of the universe, there was an incredibly large presence of energy. This form of energy is known as photons. Photons transformed into quarks, which are postulated as the smallest particles in existence. Quarks then formed neutrons and protons. Eventually, Hydrogen, Helium, and Lithium nuclei were formed and this process of formation is known as big bang nucleosynthesis. Cosmic Microwave Background is a prediction about the photons that remained after the big bang. The Big Bang theory's name is derived from the "tremendous explosion" that started the universe. This theory's origin is credited to Edwin Hubble. His observations provided the foundation for the Big Bang theory.

The Big Bang theory led to the inflation theory. The inflation theory is considered a "possible explanation that right after the big bang the universe began a period of exaggerated outward expansion, with particles flying outward faster than the current speed of light". This theory is "advocated" among astrophysicists, but it is not "directly verifiable" and has no clear cut evidence. The theory of inflation is used as an explanation for a phenomenon and is not a theory proven by a phenomenon. Could that mean that the inflation theory is pseudoscience?

There is contradicting information about the origin of our universe when religion is added to the equation. According to religion, the world was created by god or a higher power. In religious theories, God created the universe and everything in it. God created man, earth, animals, stars, and everything else. Is it possible that both groups have valid reasoning? Is it possible that both theories can be intertwined? Is it possible that a higher power created the photons that were allegedly responsible for the birth of our universe? Then perhaps, the real question is how was that higher power created? The origin of the universe can be hypothesized, but will we ever know the truth when science and religion are both factored into everything?