THE SPECTRE AT THE FEAST.

This article discusses theories related to the evolution of the universe. According to Paul Steinhardt of Princeton University in New Jersey, space and time did not erupt out of nothingness 13.7 billion years ago and inflate wildly to produce our Universe. Inspired by the extra dimensions of string theory, Steinhardt and his colleague Neil Turok argue that the Universe was instead created by the collision of two “branes” three-dimensional worlds that oscillate back and forth along one of these extra dimensions. Steinhardt's most vocal critic is Andrei Linde of Stanford University in California, who didn't pull any punches as he challenged the assertion that the cyclical model dodges the big bang singularity.