Serious question for you Science Guys...?

Question

Often and often, when a question is asked about "where did everything come from", someone invariably shoots out the term "singularity".
OK, I'm just a "dumb Christian"...could one of you super-intelligent types PLEASE explain to me what a "singularity" is, and where you think such a thing may have come from?
I know, but I am honestly not trying to be sarcastic.. It's just that, as far as I can see, "singularity" is sort of a term that roughly means "I don't know, either"...and is even MORE vague than the ever-popular Christian "Godidit"...
Please, can you shed some LIGHT on my dilemma?
OH, and PLEASE be polite. Remember, everyone has the right to their own ideas and beliefs...even if they don't agree with yours. Or (gasp) mine...
No bashing, please!

"Once upon a time, there was this singularity, you see, and then..."
How does this make more sense to you than "In the beginning, God..."??

OK, so I went and asked this in the science section.
Amazingly enough, those folks don't know, either!!

Answer 1

First of all you are very correct in saying that "please be polite." Remember, everyone has the right to their own ideas and beliefs ---even if they don't agree with yours." The only people that would not be as you ask them to be would be those on either side of your question that feel somewhat unsure of their own conclusions. I'll try to answer your question but remember my answer is only what I at this time find to be a truth. Good science is always open to greater understanding.

First of all let us try to define the word singularity. I believe that Hawking does a rather good job in defining it. He states: "A singularity marks a point where the curvature of space-time is infinite, or, in other words, it possesses zero volume and infinite density." He also states: "General relativity shows that under certain reasonable assumptions, an expanding universe like ours must have begun as a singularity."

There is a place, you might say in mathamatics, called planck which is 10-(35) of a second. This is a point in math where mathamatics cease to have any meaning. In other words mathamatics of any sort does not work or can be proved out. This is where the singularity of a Black Hole or the "time" of the Big Bang began, for lack of a better word. If you look at the definition above that Hawking gave it almost seems as if he is stating that Something came from Nothing. Most of all of science feels that this can not be. So what is this Nothing that seems to be Something. Einstein says that matter is frozen energy. So this Nothing that is Something is a form of energy. If it pleases you to call this God I for one would have no problem with that.

Answer 2

This is a question that is actually impossible to answer satisfactorily as we do not know exactly what happened at the begging of the universe other than some fairly arm wavey stuff. This is the field in which alot of research in physics is currently being done.

Admittedly just saying 'it all came from a singularity' is not very good. I would explain it all here but this guy does a great job.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wg1fs6vp9Ok
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KMQk6MveZOE

A singularity is a single point that takes up the smallest volume possible. It is assumed that all matter came from a singularity. We can't prove this, but the evidence would seem to suggest it.

Answer 3

It goes something like this. A singularity is a "black hole"--the original black hole containing all the mass in the universe. With the big bang (if the big bang occured a all around halo of microwave radiation from the big bang should be observed-this microwave radiation was discovered as predicted over 20 years ago)-intense heat immediately occured, cooling to the point where atoms was formed was next--the math tells us that at about t+ 380,000 years there was light. Gravity condenses gas--eventually stars were born and died--eventually stars and planetary systems formed--and life eventually evolved on this globe. The question of where the singularity came from is like the presence of a deity-unknown. The difference between a belief in the big bang and a belief in a deity--with the big bang--all that followed requires only the interactions of matter and energy and the fundamental properties of matter and energy. With a deity--it requires belief (for lack of a better word) in magic and suspension of causality. We've never noted causality to have been suspended. To me it makes much more logical sense that the universe is governed by a set of natural laws than a universe whose state at any given time is subject to the whims of an easter bunny..

Answer 4

The Big Bang was produced from a single point containing all the matter/energy in the universe. This point expanded. It is more accurate to call the Big Bing the Big Expansion. There is a lot of evidence showing this.

The theories as to where this single point came from are very interesting, and more studying is needed. Remember that time needs space to exist, so time didn't exist in this point. One really cool theory is that an alternate universe collapsed or went out of existence and created this single point. This goes along with the theory that in the 11th dimension, there are many universes vibrating in and out of existence. We see evidence that our universe does the same. But in the meantime, don't just invent an answer.

Answer 5

The Singularity that they are referring to is a pinpoint size "ball" of matter and energy that containing everything that was eventually going to be come the universe when it exploded in the Big Bang.

Where it came from and what caused it to explode is not yet know.

The difference between this and the "God Did It" story is that science admits that it doesn't yet know everything, that the Big Bang probably came from something and we are still working on it. The god story says that a supernatural being with ultimate-everything has always existed and was never created and never came from anything. And the god story is backed up only by religious books written thousands of years ago.

Answer 6

As a "science guy", I can honestly say I don't understand it either, but I definitely don't believe that just because I don't know how the universe began, Goddidit. =)

Answer 7

It all start from Chaos and confusion.
From chaos Love was born
then came Light And Day
then Mother Earth And Father Heaven..

story goes on,

Answer 8

Ask this in the science section