Overview
- The University of Portsmouth publicized the work Thursday, highlighting a Physical Review D study that swaps a one-off Big Bang for a bounce following an earlier cosmic contraction.
- The model says quantum pressure at extreme density stops total collapse, causes a rebound, and produces an early burst of rapid growth similar to inflation.
- Calculations indicate compact objects larger than about 90 meters could pass through the bounce and persist as long‑lived black hole relics.
- The authors argue that many such relics could supply much of the universe’s dark matter and could seed the unexpectedly massive early objects spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope.
- The theory outlines tests, including searches for relic gravitational waves and subtle patterns in the cosmic microwave background, and the team stresses the idea still needs observational checks.