In the latest quest to understand the nature and the origins of the Universe, researchers have suggested that the start of the Universe may be more like freezing of water into ice rather than according to the Big Bang theory.
Theoretical physicists belonging to the RMIT University and the University of Melbourne have proposed the novel theory. They state that the present understanding of the Universe’s nature will be radically changed by studying the crevices and cracks that occur in crystals.
James Quach, the lead researcher stated, that since ancient times, philosophers have been curious about the composition of matter. They contemplated whether it is composed of individual atoms or a continuous substance. Presently, powerful microscopes have shown that atoms form matter.
The researchers challenge Albert Einstein’s assumption that time and space flowed smoothly and were continuous in nature. They state that this assumption may not hold good when considering small scales.
The new Quantum Graphity theory proposes that tiny atoms or indivisible building blocks make up space. As these blocks are very small, they cannot be seen directly.
The researchers suggest a possible way of viewing these atoms indirectly. They state that the early universe must be considered as a liquid, and when it cooled it had crystallized into the single time dimension and three spatial dimensions. So, theoretically, when the Universe cools in this manner, cracks may form, and some of these cracks may be visible.
These cracks or defects reflect or bend light and other particles. This enables detection of these effects. Certain effects have been calculated and if they could be verified they will solve the question of whether space is composed of tiny indivisible parts or whether it is smooth.
Source: http://www.unimelb.edu.au/