• Question: Did the big bang happen over a long period of time, or a very short one?

    Asked by mary98 to Damien, Rachael, Simon, Suzi, Tim on 20 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Damien Hall

      Damien Hall answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Hi @mary98 –

      A very short one, as far as we know! But its effects are still going on. The Universe is still getting bigger (the bits are moving apart from that initial explosion), and the orbits of the planets are leftovers of that motion too.

      I’m not sure it’s possible to study the Big Bang itself, though. A lot of science is done about the state that existed milliseconds after the Big Bang, but not about the explosion itself. I think that’s just too far back to go.

      Thanks for the question!

    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Hi @mary98
      The Big Bang itself was very quick, but the Universe is still moving apart, which is the after effect of the outward pressure from the explosion. So although the bang itself was less than seconds, we are still feeling it’s consequences 13.7 BILLION years afterwards!

      Some scientists think that eventually the Universe will stop expanding, and then begin to contract, but others don’t believe this will happen. Only time will tell I guess!!!

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