Big Bang and the Law of Conservation of Matter/Energy?

[M Telepathic]

Hi, I'm a high school student and a new member, and upon reading I found something that's quite disturbing for me.
It seems that no one ever came up with a solution as to what happened before the Big Bang; I'm wondering, unless we bring in quantum fluctuations, do we have to assume that the primordial atom either existed forever or had been in an everlasting cycle of expansion and contraction? Also, if the primordial atom was this small, and it contained all the matter and energy present in the universe today, then wouldn't the atom become a black hole? If the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy is not to be violated, then how can we explain the appearance of the primordial atom? Thanks....

[marcus]

Hi, I'm a high school student and a new member, and upon reading I found something that's quite disturbing for me.
It seems that no one ever came up with a solution as to what happened before the Big Bang; I'm wondering, unless we bring in quantum fluctuations,...

try this seminar talk
http://www.phys.psu.edu/events/index.html?event_id=1320&event_type_ids=0&span=2005-08-20.2005-12-25

it is called
Recent Advances in Quantum Cosmology
Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry Seminar by Parampreet Singh from Penn State
Monday at 3:00 PM in 318 Osmond (11/28/2005)

it is an audio recording from a November seminar talk

here are all the Penn State seminars. select "this semester" from the menu to get fall 2005, recent ones
http://www.phys.psu.edu/events/index.html

another, from earlier in the semester
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BIG BANG An Analytical and Numerical Study
IGPG Seminar by Abhay Ashtekar from Penn State
Monday at 3:00 PM in 318 Osmond (8/29/2005)

http://www.phys.psu.edu/events/index.html?event_id=1257&event_type_ids=0&span=2005-08-20.2005-12-25

this only has the lecture slides, no audio recording

there are journal articles and popular articles too, I just happen to have these links handy. there is a lot more. people are studying the other side of the big bang a lot these days. some computer studies.
beginnng to be some predictions of a quantum big bang "signature" that astronomers may be able to look for and thereby test the theories to see if they are right

also look here
http://loops05.aei.mpg.de/
a recent international conference
look at the program on Friday---it is all about quantum big bang
and one of the lead talks is by Ashtekar from Penn State
http://loops05.aei.mpg.de/index_files/Programme.html

click on the names of people giving talks on Friday, on this program, mostly after Ashtekar---it will give the brief summary of the talk and sometimes a link to slides

the audio and video links are broken at the moment however

the studies of before the big bang is a fast moving field, so this October 2005 conference is OK and also the more recent stuff, like the November seminars. Good idea to keep up to date----and stay away from popularizations

others may have different advice---that's mine
you wont find certainties---the field is in flux, active research area

[Chronos]

Too many experts here [which is a good thing!].... marcus gave you all you need. Science ends where the universe began. It's a first cause thing.

[M Telepathic]

Thanks a lot, guys! I really appreciate it