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April 12, 2001 07:08 CDT

A new Big Bang theory suggests our Universe didn't
actually exist until another one bumped into it.

According to a team of physicists, our Universe at one
time contained absolutely no matter or energy. That
believe that all changed when another universe collided
with it. Space suddenly morphed into a boiling pot full
of particles and radiation, reaching hotter and denser
temperatures than even the core of the Sun.

The approach of the parallel universe caused space to
expand and the collision itself produced all energy and
matter. A comprehensive description of this new theory
has been submitted to the journal Physical Review D.
The model is a possible contender to the theory of
cosmic inflation, which was cooked up to solve some of
the problems of classical big bang theory.

Inflation theory suggests the Universe endured a brief
period of exponential expansion in the first split
second of its existence. "Our new model solves the same
problems," says co-author Paul Steinhardt of Princeton
University, one of the founders of inflation nearly 20
years ago.

This theory also states our three-dimensional Universe,
known as a "3-brane", is merely one of the two boundary
surfaces of a thin four-dimensional "bulk space".
However, there was another universe, or bulk brane,
inside the bulk space which crossed on our boundary
brane, causing the collision. The energy released then
resulted in the big bang.

Unlike inflation, the brane-storm model -- dubbed the
"ekpyrotic universe" by the authors of the paper,
related to the Greek idea of "cosmic fire" -- fits in
neatly with the popular string theory of particle
physics. "That's one of the exciting things about it,"
says Neil Turok of Cambridge University, another
co-author.

"I'm delighted to see an alternative picture for the
early Universe," says cosmologist Jim Peebles, also of
Princeton. "It has been frustrating to me not to have
any alternatives to inflation, which I feel has been
accepted by many cosmologists too easily." As for the
credibility of the new model, he says: "I haven't heard
my string theory colleagues complain. That's a positive
sign."

Could there be other branes floating around in 4-D bulk
space. If so, could we be in for another big bang? Turok
says it can't be ruled out. Fortunately, Newton's
gravitational constant doesn't appear to be changing,
which implies we're safe from a collision for many
billions of years.

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Did another universe nudge our own into existence?