Guys , lets be careful here. The Big Bang theory is a THEORY and hence is still open to debate. Like most things in science thoeries are all open to debate if observations and repeatable experiments find a lacking in that theory. So as has been mentioned previously other dimensions etc and other theories may or may not hold up over time. As the old saying goes, the more we know the more we realise what we do not know.

How is this related to the muzzling in science. I think in part it is to do with the reporting of these ideas/theories by the untrained media. Sometimes the ideas get oversimplified and are stated as if fact. That may be a case that in reporting to Joe Public it has to. As an Chemcial engineer I am reasonably technically and scientificaly adapt but even I struggle with some articles in the science magazines let alone someone not scientifically inclined.

Then there is what people might call self interest. I think a sizable minority in the scientific community who have lost the art of debate and some who cannot accept being wrong even if only partly. But a good scientist should expect being wrong part of the time.

The Big Fish:

With respect to the Big Bang Theory, I think the quote went something like

“There is speculation, then wild speculation, then there is cosmology.”

I cannot remember the attribution though.

The main problem is the scientists publish in media that the people do not read. Mind you, if it was published in the Australian, most of us would struggle to understand it.
What we need is some way of putting the findings of research in laymans terms and getting that info to the people so they can have some input in the decisions.

I agree Burnzie, I'd like to read the findings though I doubt I'd understand what I'm reading. I'd also like to know is there any research done on the effects of all the spray on sugarcane? We all consume it from an early age. I was up near Atherton for a while and was astonished at how much they spray sugar, also Bananas.A few years ago(98)at Emerald Qld the newspaper reported that cotton spray was found in the meat of cattle,(water tanks in town were vertually banned)(now we know why) but after that 'little' editorial; nothing. Not mentioned again, no research or investigation; though alot of people out there with full body Sciriosis.? Let's face if it's not their vested interest it's of no interest at all.Princey1099@yahoo.com.au

A scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory, however ..............the "Big Bang" imagining is neither hypothesis nor theory.

We just see that the "Big Bang" is put forward as a theory but is more like a religion. How can any self respecting scientist accept that there was once a nothingness or even if there was a nothingness how can you have a bang in a vacuum or a universe expanding into itself or even the expansion of space? Too stoooopid for words. What we get then is an attitude like if as a scientist you believed that a certain effect had no material cause, then would you ever be motivated enough to look for a cause?

Thought science was the study of causality not some sort of magic, but so many scientists have their careers locked into this religious concept they are quite reluctant to buck the system for fear of being ridiculed ....... and that goes for questioning Einstein too.

The problem as I see it is that our human minds have a tendency to think in finite closed systems and impose this notion to everything. This attitude now looks out dated.

Keiran, The big bang theory is part of religion. It allows for god to be inserted, to account for the illogicality of big bang. Its the same for the explanation of fueling stars and other energy phenomena throughout the universe.

To me, all the evidence is pointing to a transitionary universe. Stars etc are doors between different dimensions that allow stars to transform extra dimensional energy into energy for this dimension. Just as black holes may well be doing the opposite, transforming energy to fit within the dimensional they connect to.

In the last 100 years there have been numerous discoveries regarding non conforming energies and power sources. They have been suppressed for economic and religious reasons. As lots of research is provided by companies, then they control the direction and outcomes of that research. Until we remove the fear and superstitions regarding different research directions, things will continue down the wrong track.

As long as we do think in finite terms, we will never see the infinite that is not only all around us, but is a part of us as well.