What caused the big bang and started the expansion?

[brother time]

I was wondering what caused the big bang? The expansion would need some energy to start wouldn't it?

 

[Dmitry67]

No, because it was not an explosion.
It is not clear even if notion of energy is applicable at Plank Level, so there is no solution for the universe and time about few Planck times.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

As I understand it, in theoretical concept, there wouldn't be anything to "cause" it, and there would be no need to "cause" it since the concept of time, cause and effect would not exist. As Stephen Hawking said in response to the question of what was before the Big Bang; "What is north of the North Pole?"

 

[brother time]

Thanks Tubba,
this explanation really helped, and thanks dmitry, both of you helped clear up some of my misconceptions
cheers, BT

 

[Fredrik]

There are lots of threads about this. This is what I said in a recent one.

 

[brother time]

Thanks Fredrik,
this is probably the clearest explanation I have had.

 

[filegraphy]

Yeah that was well put. That was my question he posted on. It helped me a lot too.

 

[Chronos]

I still like the quantum fluctuation explanation. Our universe 'fluctuated' for an infinite amount of time until it found the right balance of properties to become emergent.