A recent study has shown that there may have been “secret life” in the universe before the Big Bang. The research, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, suggests that before the Big Bang, there was a period of contraction in the universe, which led to the formation of black holes that could be the source of dark matter.
If this “jumpy” cosmology theory turns out to be true, it could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe, especially with regard to black holes and dark matter.
Jumping between stages
Traditionally, cosmologists believe the universe began with a singular event called the Big Bang, followed by rapid expansion. However, this new research posits a different scenario, where the universe first went through a phase of contraction, reaching a highly dense state before rebounding back into expansion. According to the study, this rebound could have significant implications for the formation of black holes and mysterious dark matter, which makes up about 80% of the matter in the universe.
Dark matter and black holes
The study suggests that during the contraction phase of the universe, density fluctuations could have formed small black holes. These primordial black holes, having survived the rebound and reached the current expansion phase, could possibly form dark matter. The existence of these black holes could explain why dark matter, which does not interact with light, has been so elusive to scientists.
“Small primordial black holes could have arisen during the very early stages of the universe, and if they are not too small, their decay due to Hawking radiation would not be efficient enough to eliminate them, so they would still exist,” said Patrick Pieters, research director at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). “Weighing roughly equal to the mass of an asteroid, they could contribute to dark matter, or even resolve the issue completely.”
Future observations
The hypothesis is still in its early stages, but researchers are optimistic that future gravitational wave observatories, such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and the Einstein Telescope, will be able to detect gravitational waves generated during the formation of these primordial black holes. Such a discovery could provide crucial evidence to support the theory that these black holes are indeed dark matter.
Although it may take more than a decade to make the necessary observations, this new study opens up exciting possibilities about the origins of the universe and the true nature of dark matter.