The origin of the universe is once again attracting attention. This time, thanks to a new theory that, according to experts, suggests that quantum fluctuations in space-time, in the form of gravitational waves, were sufficient to sow the seeds of the cosmic structures we see today. This study, titled ‘Inflation without an Inflaton,’ was recently published in Physical Review Letters by a team of researchers led by Spaniard Raúl Jiménez.
The inflationary model has been the most accepted explanation for describing the first instant of the cosmos
This study maintains that it is not based on unproven hypotheses or theoretical components whose existence has never been demonstrated. It is a study with structural foundations. The inflationary model has been the most widely accepted explanation for describing the first instant of the cosmos, suggesting an extremely rapid expansion immediately after the Big Bang. That’s why this new data is groundbreaking.
According to the published article, the scientists state that they focused on how scalar perturbations are generated independently of the model, within a purely quantum physics framework. “We demonstrate that scalar perturbations (the inflaton) arise as a second-order effect of tensor perturbations and can be significantly enhanced, allowing them to dominate the linear tensor modes inherently present in dS,” they state in the conclusion of the research.
The theory of cosmic inflation its excessive dependence on adjustable parameters
Until now, the theory of cosmic inflation has been what has explained the mystery of the origin of the Universe. It is a model that explains how the Universe was created and grew explosively, expanding at an unimaginable speed in just a fraction of a second. Without this sudden expansion, it would be impossible to understand why, despite the incredible distances between extremes, the average temperature of the Universe and the way in which matter is distributed within it are uniform that is, the same everywhere. In any case, this theory has always had a small flaw, probably the one from which the new research stems. It is its excessive dependence on adjustable parameters.
Jiménez: “We propose a new scenario in which scalar perturbations are generated without relying on a scalar field (the inflaton)”
Well, now Raúl Jiménez and the other researchers suggest a new twist to this universally recognized theory. “We propose a new scenario in which scalar perturbations, which give rise to the large-scale structure of the universe, are generated without relying on a scalar field (the inflaton). In this framework, inflation is driven by a de Sitter space-time, where tensor metric fluctuations (i.e., gravitational waves) arise naturally from oscillations in the quantum vacuum, and scalar fluctuations are generated by second-order tensor effects,” the experts explain.
This “theory” holds that quantum fluctuations of space-time itself, known as gravitational waves, were sufficient to generate the slight variations in density that eventually transformed into galaxies, stars, and planets. These waves evolve in complex ways and can interact with each other, allowing for fairly precise predictions that can be verified through research and real-world observations.
Because the point is that there isn’t just the Big Bang theory; there’s also the theory before the Big Bang. This is the Big Bounce, where inflation comes into play, a period in which this unification of matter and energy, homogenizing the entire cosmos, could have occurred. This theory was proposed by Alan Guth back in 1981. At this point, if Jiménez’s theory is confirmed, it would give us a more elegant view of the origin of the cosmos and open up a new chapter in the understanding and way we perceive the first moments of life on planet Earth.
