Southampton scientist Kostas Skenderis to investigate theory about dimensions

Mysteries of the universe Mysteries of the universe

IT is a question that has been debated in pubs across the land and taxed the world’s greatest minds for as long as anyone can remember – where did it all begin?

While many believe the universe started with a big bang billions of years ago, or perhaps was created by a god, one Hampshire scientist believes the answer may be that we are living in a giant hologram.

University of Southampton mathematical physics professor Kostas Skenderis has been given $175,000 (£110,000) to launch a new study into exactly what happened at the dawn of time based on his radical theories.

The senior academic believes the universe may have one fewer dimensions than previously thought, like a hologram printed on a flat surface.

And he hopes the ground-breaking ideas will help shed light on the first nanoseconds of existence – or even if there was such a moment.

His award, from the New Frontiers in Astronomy and Cosmology international grant competition, will fund a two-year study to explore the question: “Was there a beginning of time and space?”

Professor Skenderis, the only British recipient of the award given to 19 other scientists around the world, said he hopes to be able to go beyond even Albert Einstein’s theories in explaining the universe around us. He said: “There is currently available evidence that the universe expanded from an extremely hot and dense initial state.

“Einstein’s theory of gravity explains very well the universe after it became sufficiently large, but we do not know what happened before then.

“Was there a beginning of time and space? What were the laws of physics then and can we test them today? In order to answer these questions we need to combine Einstein’s theory with quantum physics.”

Comments(14)

Taskforce 141 says...
12:07pm Tue 9 Oct 12

I believe part of the answer can be found with Steven Hawking who has stated that without space there cannot be time, and it was the big bang which created both, creating space where time can exist in.

where's my £110,000? just saved loads of work...

Readeano says...
1:11pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Read Genisis the answer you require is there just thought i would save you time and Money

Readeano says...
1:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter

For pity sake says...
1:28pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Readeano wrote:
"I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?"
I think this is the logic of a creationist... or it could be the ramblings of a demented mind - oh, sorry, that's the same thing.

RedDan says...
2:00pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Readeano wrote:
Read Genisis the answer you require is there just thought i would save you time and Money
I was going to make a bible joke but you beat me to it :)

Raxx says...
3:54pm Tue 9 Oct 12

An awful lot of Christians, especially in the UK, are anything but creationists.

I'm one of them, and have no dispute with science at all. The question that science has never come near to broaching isn't "where did the universe come from", it's "where did EXISTENCE come from". The two are radically different things. Christianity and science are perfectly compatible if you believe that God brought about existence, and what happened after that followed the laws of physics.

I've radically oversimplified the above - but this is the Echo's comments section, not a dissertation...!

Georgem says...
3:55pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Readeano wrote:
Read Genisis the answer you require is there just thought i would save you time and Money
I thought they were better when Peter Gabriel was still their singer. Phil Collins is rubbish.

Georgem says...
3:57pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Readeano wrote:
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter
Ah, the old "spend all the science money on cancer" routine.

kingnotail says...
5:44pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Readeano says...
1:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter

-

Your english is abysmal.

Stillness says...
5:55pm Tue 9 Oct 12

kingnotail wrote:
Readeano says...
1:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter

-

Your english is abysmal.
Glad to see that you put so much thought in to answering his points.

cantthinkofone says...
6:16pm Tue 9 Oct 12

kingnotail wrote:
Readeano says...
1:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter

-

Your english is abysmal.
"English" is a proper noun and should be capitalised.

For pity sake says...
7:58pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Stillness wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Readeano says...
1:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter

-

Your english is abysmal.
Glad to see that you put so much thought in to answering his points.
The points don't merit a reasoned response if the author can't express himself in understandable English.

Stillness says...
8:11pm Tue 9 Oct 12

For pity sake wrote:
Stillness wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Readeano says...
1:21pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter

-

Your english is abysmal.
Glad to see that you put so much thought in to answering his points.
The points don't merit a reasoned response if the author can't express himself in understandable English.
Why not? Substance over form and all that what what.

freefinker says...
11:48pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Georgem wrote:
Readeano wrote:
Also before anything escalates i would like to say despite individuals views both religious and non-religious if this scientist gets an answer despite the research carried out and potential proof will people change their minds despite the evidence?

I dont think so, and i mean this is a completely open way if religious are informed there is proof to say it wasn't how they imagine will they change their minds and will non -religious people change their minds if proof has it God did create this?

Despite some answers that people feel need answering will this change how we live, grow and the way the world is run? i dont think it will.

Surely £110,000 could be spend resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing, to resolve issues in the 3rd world countries, to resolve war all issue's that are current and these are only 3 of them.

No rant intended or any bad mouth response intended towards this article just my thoughts on this matter
Ah, the old "spend all the science money on cancer" routine.
.. I know, it's amazing, isn't it.

But hey, read that again. That £110,000, apparently, is all we need to be "resolving the issue we all have with cancer to stop it growing". Seems a bargain to me.

Why oh why have we wasted billions on cancer research when jolly ol' kingnotail can solve our biggest medical dilemma for such a small sum.

Full marks to kingnotail, problem solved – Nobel prize a definite, me finks.

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