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The latest theory contradicts the most popular concept of the universe which suggests the world started with a Big Bang, and has been expanding ever since. Pictured here is the cosmic microwave background that is thought to have been left over from the Bang.
Our existence didn't come as a result of a glorious bang, but instead of a long, cold transformation, according to a new theory.

The theory contradicts the most popular concept of our universe's beginning, which suggestsit started with the Big Bang, and has been expanding ever since.

The Big Bang model suggests the universe began from what is known as a 'singularity', or a point of infinite density at which physical laws break down.

But Christof Wetterich, a theoretical physicist at Heidelberg University in Germany, claims this Big Bang never happened. Instead, the universe started as an empty and cold void, slowly emerging from a deep freeze.

He claims his theory will help resolve some of the more challenging aspects of the Big Bang theory, such as the singularity present during the beginning of the universe.

The concept that the universe is expanding was developed in the 1920s when astronomers look at the light emitted or absorbed by atoms, which appeared at different frequencies.

Professor Wetterich's latest suggestion builds on his earlier theory that the universe is not expanding, but instead getting fatter.
The Slow Freeze Theory

The theory suggests the universe started as an empty and cold void, slowly emerging from a deep freeze.

Professor Wetterich's argues that while fundamental particles become heavier over time, gravity weakens.

This logic suggests the universe still underwent inflation but did not necessarily continue expanding.

Professor Wetterich also argues that instead of starting with a big bang, time before inflation could stretch into the infinite past.

His picture is akin to saying that instead of the universe expanding, the ruler with which we measure it is shrinking.

In this picture, he says, 'you can go as far back in the past as you want, and the past is even pretty boring.'
They found that when matter moved away, galaxies exhibited a shift to the red, lower frequency part of the spectrum.

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Professor Wetterich's latest suggestion builds on his earlier theory that the universe is not expanding, but instead getting fatter.
After observing that most galaxies exhibit a red shift that became greater for more distant galaxies, they theorised that the universe was expanding.

But Professor Wetterich's theory suggests that the fundamental particles of the universe are instead becoming heavier over time, while gravity weakens.

This logic suggests the universe still underwent a period of inflation but did not necessarily continue expanding.

According to a report in Science News, Professor Wetterich's picture is akin to saying that instead of the universe expanding, the ruler with which we measure it is in fact shrinking.

Professor Wetterich also argues that instead of starting with an explosion, time before inflation could stretch into the infinite past - in other words, there was no real beginning to the universe.

In this picture, he says, 'you can go as far back in the past as you want, and the past is ... pretty boring.'

Professor Wetterich's latest suggestion builds on his earlier theory that the universe is not expanding, but instead getting heavier.

Radiation from the early universe would make it look hotter than it actually was if particle masses have been increasing. This means distant objects would appear to be receding even if they aren't.

He says this would explain why the universe appears to be expanding.

Professor Wetterich claims that he is not trying to overthrow the big bang as both it and his slow freeze model are consistent with current scientific observations.