Besides the bigbang, are there other published theories about cosmic microwave

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) and whether there are alternative theories to the Big Bang that explain its existence. Participants explore the implications of the CMBR and question the sufficiency of existing theories, particularly the Big Bang and Steady State theories.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that the Big Bang theory is the primary explanation for the CMBR, as it predicted its existence.
  • Others mention the Steady State theory, which proposes that the CMBR is the sum of radiation from background stars, but note that this theory fails to account for the perfect blackbody spectrum of the CMB.
  • A participant questions whether there are other theories that explain the CMBR without relating to the origin of the cosmos, suggesting hypothetical alternatives like radiation from neutron stars and pulsars.
  • Some participants clarify that the Steady State theory was not originally conceived as an explanation for the CMBR, as it predates its discovery.
  • There is a mention of Fred Hoyle's attempts to reconcile the Steady State theory with the discovery of the CMBR, indicating that there have been efforts to explain the CMBR beyond the Big Bang framework.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the existence of alternative theories to the Big Bang that adequately explain the CMBR. There are competing views regarding the adequacy of the Steady State theory and the possibility of other explanations.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations include the lack of specific alternative theories mentioned beyond the Steady State theory and the unresolved nature of the discussion regarding the CMBR's origins.

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That explain cosmic microwave background ? Cosmic microwave background (referring to the hiss that was detected by Wilson and Penzias, using microwave wavelength satellites, and it is found everywhere) and it is evidence of the big bang, but is it evidence of anything else?
Are there other theories that explain what the cosmic microwave background is? Or do all of the theories attribute it to the big bang?
 
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That's a good question..

I'd like to know the answer as well..
 
Big bang theory required and predicted the cosmic microwave background radiation. No competing theory suitably accounts for the CMBR.
 
Chronos said:
Big bang theory required and predicted the cosmic microwave background radiation. No competing theory suitably accounts for the CMBR.
What other explanations are there for CMBR?
 
Steady state theory proposes the CMB is the sum of radiation provided by background stars out to infinity. This 'explanation' fails to account for the perfect blackbody spectrum of the CMB.
 
Chronos said:
Steady state theory proposes the CMB is the sum of radiation provided by background stars out to infinity. This 'explanation' fails to account for the perfect blackbody spectrum of the CMB.
OK, but you didn't really answer the question..

You just sort of inverted the question, and then went forward.

I'm not asking what the "steady state" theory attempts to explain or doesn't..

I'm asking whether there are other explanations for the CMB..

For example, maybe there's a theory that says the CMB is caused by "radiation emitted from neutron stars and pulsars" (or some such thing).

I'm not saying this is necessarily the case, or that there is such a theory.

I'm just saying "substitute what you will" for the "underlined part above"...

In other words, there may be explanations for the CMB that have nothing to do w/ the origin of the cosmos. And if so, what are they?

Are there any?

Do they even exist?
 
His answer to your underlined part was: Steady State Theory. He wasn't inverting the question, he was giving you the name of a theory which has an alternate explanation for the CMB (and then gave a reason why it's not as good a theory as the big bang).
 
Strumphs said:
His answer to your underlined part was: Steady State Theory. He wasn't inverting the question, he was giving you the name of a theory which has an alternate explanation for the CMB (and then gave a reason why it's not as good a theory as the big bang).
No, the Steady State theory is a theory that attempts to explain the origin of the cosmos, not the background CMB.

A trip to wikipedia indicates that the Steady State theory was originated circa 1948, and the CMB was only discovered in 1964, so clearly the State State theory was not conceived as an explanation for CMB.

My question is: are there other theories out there which attempt to explain the CMB, besides the Big Bang?
 
psholtz said:
No, the Steady State theory is a theory that attempts to explain the origin of the cosmos, not the background CMB.

A trip to wikipedia indicates that the Steady State theory was originated circa 1948, and the CMB was only discovered in 1964, so clearly the State State theory was not conceived as an explanation for CMB.

My question is: are there other theories out there which attempt to explain the CMB, besides the Big Bang?

Big Bang Theory is *also* a theory that explains the origin of the cosmos, like the Steady State Theory. It does not start out with the aim to explain the CMB, rather it predicts them and then observation confirms it. Steady State Theory as a theory of the origin of the cosmos then also tried to explain the CMB within its own framework.
 
  • #10
yenchin said:
Big Bang Theory is *also* a theory that explains the origin of the cosmos, like the Steady State Theory. It does not start out with the aim to explain the CMB, rather it predicts them and then observation confirms it. Steady State Theory as a theory of the origin of the cosmos then also tried to explain the CMB within its own framework.
So the long and the short of it is that no one ever tried to explain the CMB, other than as some artifact left over from the origin of the cosmos, correct?
 
  • #11
psholtz said:
So the long and the short of it is that no one ever tried to explain the CMB, other than as some artifact left over from the origin of the cosmos, correct?

Certainly people have tried to explain the CMB such as Fred Hoyle, when he was trying to resuscitate the Steady State Theory in light of the discovery of the CMB as in: http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1975ApJ...196..661H&data_type=PDF_HIGH&whole_paper=YES&type=PRINTER&filetype=.pdf .

That was before the fluctuations in the CMB and its Power Spectrum were discovered.

Garth
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #12
Garth said:
Certainly people have tried to explain the CMB such as Fred Hoyle, when he was trying to resuscitate the Steady State Theory in light of the discovery of the CMB as in: http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1975ApJ...196..661H&data_type=PDF_HIGH&whole_paper=YES&type=PRINTER&filetype=.pdf .

That was before the fluctuations in the CMB and its Power Spectrum were discovered.

Garth

I think the OP is seeking some other possible theories beside the one offered by Steady State Theory, but I don't know of any.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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