The oscillating universe theory rides again

A joint UK-US team has put forward an alternative theory of cosmic evolution [which] proposes that the Universe undergoes cycles of "Big Bangs" and "Big Crunches", meaning our Universe is merely a "child of the previous one".

It challenges the conventional view of the cosmos, which observations show to be 12-14 billion years old.

The new ideas, reported in the journal Science, may explain why the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, the researchers say. ((http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4974134.stm))