The Lerner/Alfven Model: No Big Bang

Twink (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Fri, 28 Nov 1997 11:03:49 -0500 (EST)


At 06:44 PM 11/28/97 +1100, Bradley Graham Weslake <bgw03@uow.edu.au> wrote:
>btw, I have read Lerner's book [_The Big Bang Never Happened_], which
>details the less known "plasma" model of the universe. I found it pretty
>interesting, and a decent read.

I too. With a title like that, it would have been hard to ignore. Anyway,
though
it has been a few years... I found Lerner's book a bit too polemical, though a
very good read. It still remains to be seen if his (extension of Alfven's)
theory is
correct.

To detail the argument as I recall it for the rest, Lerner basically think that
electromagnetic fields play a big role on large scales -- as opposed to the
conventional view that such fields have little affect on interstellar, galactic
and intergalactic scales. Lerner believes that the known universe is
merely a portion of an infinite universe. He explains inflation as a local
phenomena. He thinks that what has happened is that gravitational
collapse influenced by electromagnetic separation of matter and anti-
matter created a local bang.

Some of his arguments look cogent. He is able to explain via this theory,
e.g., large scale structures. To him, they predated the local expansion.
He also is able to fit quasars and active radio sources into this too. They
are caused by plasma filaments.

However, much of the book is devoted to polemics against scientists
who are pro-Big Bang. I guess this was necessary to make a popular
book -- and perhaps to get attention of the scientific community too,
as Lerner's theory is not taken seriously at all. It would be good to
see the matters discussed passionately dispassionately.:)

Daniel Ust