The Entangler recently had the opportunity to talk with Niayesh Afshordi, author of the upcoming book Battle of the Big Bang, a compelling exploration of competing cosmological origin stories. The book, co-authored by fellow University of Waterloo Astrophysicist Professor and a multidisciplinary thinker, promises to take readers on a journey through the universe’s most enigmatic beginnings. Here’s what they shared about the project and their fascinating research.
Tell us about the project. What drew you to write about competing cosmological origin stories? Was it a specific moment?
Many years ago, during a visit to the University of Waterloo, an editor from Princeton University Press suggested I explore writing about competing cosmological origin stories. He saw it as a natural fit, given the range of alternative Big Bang models I had worked on over the years. That idea stayed with me.
Later, I was interviewed by Phil Halper, a banker-turned-YouTuber, about some of my models. During our conversation, I brought up the concept of writing a book on this topic, and it turned out he had been thinking along similar lines. It felt like the perfect opportunity to join forces and offer a unique, multidisciplinary perspective on these competing theories.
Then, the pandemic hit—a surreal time that blurred the boundaries of routine—and in that haze, we managed to focus and bring this project to life. Now, here we are, with a book that combines our insights into something truly one-of-a-kind.
What did you enjoy most about writing the book and what was challenging?
Writing the book came with its share of challenges—from balancing teaching, research, and writing during lockdowns, to navigating the complexities of remote collaboration, and even the process of finding the right publisher and/or editor. Each step required persistence and adaptability.
What I enjoyed most, however, was watching our story take shape. It wasn’t just about abstract academic theories—it was about capturing the very human struggles and triumphs that define our day-to-day work as researchers. Seeing those moments come to life in a coherent narrative, one that could resonate with a wide audience, was incredibly rewarding. It’s a rare privilege to translate the complexities of science into something that feels both accessible and deeply relatable.
The title “Battle of the Big Bang” suggests a conflict of ideas—can you elaborate on the nature of these rivalries and why they’re so important for our understanding of the universe?
That’s an excellent question. Conflict, whether in countries, religions, or even Big Bang theories, seems to be a universal part of the human experience. These battles and rivalries often shape our identities, motivations, and sense of purpose. However, what makes the debates surrounding the Big Bang truly unique is their focus on the outer boundaries of the scientific method—where rigorous methodologies intersect with deeply held beliefs and even religious dogmas.
More often than not, the debate isn’t simply about who is right or wrong; it’s about the philosophical approaches that underpin our understanding of the universe. What distinguishes a scientist from, say, a mystic, an ideologue, or a storyteller? How do we define the rules of exploration at the edges of imagination, morality, and reality?
This is why Battle of the Big Bang is such a fascinating journey. It’s not just about the science—it’s an odyssey of self-reflection and re-examination, challenging us to confront our most extreme and exotic ideas while questioning how we, as humans, navigate the boundaries of knowledge itself.
What is Periodic Cosmos theory, and what other theories does your book cover?
Periodic Time Cosmology is a model for the history of the universe that my former PhD student at the University of Waterloo, Beth Gould, and I developed. It proposes that cosmic history, in all its intricate details—both glorious and gory—repeats in cycles. Specifically, we introduced a consistency condition ensuring that the structures at the beginning and the end of the universe align with each other, up to a rescaling. Remarkably, we demonstrated that this model is consistent with current cosmic microwave background observations.
Our book explores this theory in depth while also covering an astonishing range of 25 Big Bang models. At the end of the book, we even include a “cheat sheet” summarizing these models. Some receive an entire chapter; others are briefly mentioned. These models are deeply interconnected, with variations or combinations offering potential explanations for the early universe. Some involve extra dimensions, parallel universes, or black holes birthing new universes. Others bounce out of Big Crunches, inflate into an eternal quantum soup, or even reverse the arrow of time at the Big Bang. Still others, like ours, repeat in cycles.
It truly is, as Carlo Rovelli—a New York Times best-selling author of White Holes, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, and The Order of Time, as well as a founder of loop quantum gravity—describes, an ‘intellectual feast of ideas’ for anyone intrigued by the mysteries of the cosmos.
The book explores a forgotten cosmic past. Do you think we’ll ever fully grasp what happened with the Big Bang, or will that always remain speculative territory?
For any scientific inquiry—whether it’s the Big Bang, evolution, or even the origins of COVID—we will likely never have the full picture. There will always be gaps and missing links, as the complexity of these phenomena often exceeds our observational reach. However, humanity has made remarkable progress by combining analytical reasoning, experiments, and observations. This process has propelled our understanding of the universe, and I don’t see it slowing down when it comes to studying the Big Bang.
Speculation will always play a role, but it is a valuable part of the scientific process when grounded in empirical data and directed toward making new, testable predictions. While we may never fully grasp what happened at the dawn of time, our relentless curiosity ensures that each step forward brings us closer to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the project or your research in general with the Entangler and it's readers?
While we’ve finally completed writing our book—now available for pre-order and set to release in May 2025—the journey of uncovering the deepest and darkest secrets of the cosmos, particularly those surrounding the Big Bang, is a lifelong odyssey. Like true Waterloo Warriors, we persevere in this quest, knowing that science is not just about discovery but also about its vital role in shaping our society.
At the same time, it’s equally important to advocate for the public’s role in shaping the scientific enterprise. In today’s polarized world, especially with challenges emerging south of the border, rebuilding trust and fostering a stronger relationship between scientists and the public is more critical than ever. We hope our book can contribute to this effort by making the complexities of the universe, as well as the realities of the scientific process, accessible and engaging, inspiring curiosity and dialogue for a better future.
Battle of the Big Bang is now available for pre-order and promises to be a must-read for science enthusiasts and anyone captivated by the mysteries of the cosmos.
