Jonathan wrote:



In this context, a new paradigm has been recently proposed by Paul Steinhardt
(Princeton) and Neil Turok (Cambridge) - the cyclic universe - that turns the
conventional picture topsy-turvy. (Perhaps the model should be called an old paradigm
since it reinvigorates ancient cosmic mythologies and philosophies, albeit using the
tools of 21st century physics.) In this picture, space and time exist forever. The big
bang is not the beginning of time. Rather, it is a bridge to a pre-existing
contracting era. The Universe undergoes an endless sequence of cycles in which it
contracts in a big crunch and re-emerges in an expanding big bang, with trillions of
years of evolution in between. The temperature and density of the universe do not
become infinite at any point in the cycle; indeed, they never exceed a finite bound
(about a trillion trillion degrees). No inflation has taken place since the big bang.
The current homogeneity and flatness were created by events that occurred before the
most recent big bang. The seeds for galaxy formation were created by instabilities
arising as the Universe was collapsing towards a big crunch, prior to our big bang.

So if the universe is an infinite cycle of big bangs, meaning that with
infinite big bangs, all combinations of universes that can exist will be
created over and over, an infinite number of times. Meaning that the
current universe has existed before and will exist again in the future
an infinite number of times. Meaning that this earth and everything on
this earth that has gone on in the past and is going on at this very
moment has existed and will exist again, an infinite number of times.
Now that's a scary thought.