At present, the question of what is singularity concerns not only people interested in science, but also the best scientists in the world. We find this term in mathematics, physics, astronomy, cosmology, and other exact sciences. Its interpretation varies slightly, but the principle remains the same. Therefore, now we will take a look at what singularity is from different points of view, and find out why this mysterious phenomenon is so interesting for researchers.
General interpretation of the term
Before we begin to delve into the secrets of the universe, we turn to the history of the universe. The most correct version of the emergence of the world at the moment is the Big Bang theory. At the time of the birth of all that surrounds us, there was only one single point of singularity. Its size is not exactly known, but for understanding, scientists often compare it with a pea. At the same time, you should not think that this mini-ball could be held in your hand. Its mass was equal to the mass of all stars and galaxies that exist in space today. Moreover, the temperature of this pea was just off scale, and the force of gravity in it was higher than that of the existing black holes. In other words, the point of singularity is a unit of space-time in which all matter contained in our Universe was contained.
How did time come about?
It is certainly worth emphasizing that the term “matter” means not only outer space, consisting of billions of astronomical units, but also all time periods. Yes, it is difficult to imagine, but in order to understand what a singularity is, you need to imagine time as a spatial dimension in which you can move both forward and backward. All this is inextricably linked with the curvature of space, which we will discuss below. Scientists also do not know how long this pea existed by earthly standards. Paradoxically, in such a compressed state in any dimension, infinity is zero. Later, the point of singularity began to grow, the temperature in it fell, the particles repelled from each other. So time was separated from other dimensions and ceased to be a spatial unit. Therefore, today it can only go forward.
Cosmological concepts
As you know, the science of cosmology is studying the evolution of the universe. All the so-called epochs that followed the Big Bang are considered here. It is in accordance with this theory that scientists have hypothesized that the universe arose from a singularity. In this case, the period of existence of the latter cannot be established. Based on this, two most plausible versions are still being carefully studied. The first is that our world is static. The big explosion occurred at a certain moment when all particles in a state of infinite compression abruptly pushed off from each other. In addition, the singularity of the Universe until the moment of the explosion was characterized by the presence of matter and antimatter. Nowadays, scientists have not found a single antiparticle. The second version is based on the fact that the Big Bang is the real cosmos. It was established that galaxies are constantly moving away from each other, therefore, the process of expansion of the world continues to this day.
Singularity in Cosmology
In the evolution of the cosmos, oddly enough, there is no place for physical formulas and laws acting on Earth. This phenomenon is clearly demonstrated to us by the cosmological singularity. Of course, in practice, it is impossible to find out in what state the matter was at the time of the birth of the world, but theoretically, scientists have calculated paradoxical patterns. The first is the curvature of spacetime. This means that it is impossible to lay a straight geodesic line or angle in the singularity sphere. The second is, as we have said, a completely different time. Here you can get to any point on the time interval. Cosmological singularity, according to scientists, is a reference point, which is called the Big Bang. During this period, the density and temperature of the substance approached infinite. At the same time, the measure of chaos tended to zero, multiplying the two previous units by itself. From the point of view of terrestrial physics, temperature and density cannot simultaneously be in an infinite state. And this is just one of many paradoxes that scientists can not solve.
Old and new theory
Many years ago, Albert Einstein presented the world with the famous theory of relativity, which is now called the theory of gravity. Thanks to her, we today describe all the phenomena in space and time that surround us. According to the theory, physical objects cannot have a singularity. That is, in practice, no substance or matter can have a mass, density or temperature equal to infinity. But mathematics is known as theoretical science, because there is a place in it for functions with infinite meanings. Putting one area of knowledge on another, we get approximate calculations of what could happen at the time of the Big Bang. These, as already mentioned, are points with infinite physical quantities. This phenomenon is called physical or cosmic singularity. But its laws are not comparable with the theory of relativity. The new theory of quantum gravity can explain this phenomenon. This is a branch of physics where the behavior of light, its properties and significance in the Universe is studied. The theory itself does not yet exist, but there are certain calculations and premises that can become its basis.
Solving the Secrets of Gravity
In astrophysics, there is such a thing as runaway speed. It is used to determine the degree of acceleration with which a particular object can resist gravitational forces. For example, a rocket, taking into account its mass, should move at a speed of about 12 km / s in order to leave the Earth’s atmosphere. But if our planet had a diameter of not 12,742 kilometers, but one centimeter, then to overcome the field of gravity it would be necessary to move at a speed greater than the speed of light. In this case, the Earth would be surrounded not by the gravitational force familiar to us, but by the gravitational singularity. Of course, all this is a theory, because if our planet assumes similar dimensions, it will turn into a black hole. But such an experience makes it possible to understand what is the significance of gravity in the universe.
What determines gravity?
The closer the atoms are located to each other, the denser the substance. If the molecules somehow interact with each other, then a heating process occurs, therefore, the temperature of this substance rises. In terrestrial conditions, such processes occur within a certain framework, because we have long invented formulas that allow us to calculate the behavior of any chemical element. This is because the force of gravity does not allow particles to approach each other less than a certain distance, and to move away more than a specific amount. In outer space, where the wasteland between galaxies is observed, space is especially discharged, this is called a vacuum. There is no gravity in principle, because a small amount of matter is in chaos. Near very dense objects (giant blue stars, quasars, as well as black holes), the force of gravity rises to unrealistic values for us, earthlings. The particles here are so close to each other that a phenomenon called the "gravitational singularity" is formed. This is the very basis that affects the distortion of space and the degree of curvature.
Gravity and the behavior of matter
Matter is not sucked into the region of singularity. Only cosmic wind and microscopic particles are attracted there. But a person, purely theoretically, can voluntarily go to such areas. They are located in quasars and in black holes and, alas, for living things are deadly from the point of view of biology. Getting into the region of high tidal force, the body will begin to stretch both along and across. As a result, the outlines of a person will envelop the sphere and will rotate in it. Theoretically, if the eyes still see and transmit a signal to the brain, a person can simultaneously contemplate all of his body parts, including the face that will rotate in front of him, exceeding the speed of light. It is clear that in this form the human body cannot exist, but this applies to terrestrial physics. However, such an example gives us the opportunity to imagine what a singularity is from a practical point of view. It would be interesting to assume that we, as a biological species, will be able to adopt these new physical laws and exist in such forms, forming new worlds for ourselves.
Time flow
That such a time can be argued forever. Today it is defined as the process of physiological, physical and mental processes for living organisms and matter of our world. But the properties of time, its hidden possibilities have not been studied. We perceive it as something subjective, and this can be carefully monitored by recalling our past years. When we lived the first year of life, this segment for us was equal to 100 percent. He was the only one we have, with all his life and experience. On its second birthday, one year already became 50 percent, on the third - only the third. By the age of 80, one year was already only 1/80 particle of life and practically did not mean anything. This happened because during the first year everything that we saw was new. In the future, we came across more and more familiar things and phenomena. Therefore, it seemed that childhood stretches incredibly long, and mature years fly by instantly. This is a good example of how the perception of one person distorts the passage of time. But what will happen if you look at this term from an astronomical point of view?
Time at the beginning of time
It was a small digression, which made it possible to understand everything that we see. Being locked in the framework of physics and, moreover, our own perception, it is difficult for us to imagine that the world was and can be completely different. So, the singularity of time had the same place in cosmology as the singularity of space. Now, to overcome the segment of 1 kilometer at a speed of 5 km / h it will take 0.2 hours. To fly from Earth to Saturn, you need to spend several years. But what about time, if the entire distance that is available in the world is 1 centimeter? Multiplying such negligible parameters by an infinitely large density and mass, we obtain the curvature of space-time. This means that at the moment when the Universe was singular, everything that we see now could happen. Events may have been mixed up, incredibly distorted and juxtaposed. Simply put, any material object could look into the past of the Earth or another planet, as well as into its future.
Technology and the Entry into a New Era
There is also the so-called theory of singularity, according to which our planet will soon turn into a large biotechnological intelligence. According to researchers, by the middle of the 21st century a computer will be created, the capabilities of which will exceed the capabilities of the brain. Artificial intelligence, of course, will prevail over less developed creatures. At this moment, a technological singularity will come . This name was invented because it is not known how such a progressive leap in science will end and whether humanity will survive.
Wormholes
The singularity of the black hole, of which, in fact, this cosmic object consists of, is one of the greatest mysteries of the world. The wormhole itself does not really look like a pit with a funnel and a narrow tunnel, but like a sphere formed by a giant force of gravity. We already talked about black holes above, defining them as deadly objects in the Universe. The power of their compression is incredibly high, because on the event horizon space is curved and time stops. The singularity of the black hole is comparable to the Big Bang theory. It has not been thoroughly studied, but it is believed that the compression force inside the wormhole is the same as at the time of the birth of the world. That is why there is a theory that black holes are the evolution of new universes that exist in parallel with ours.
An appendix explaining a part of the theory
In general terms, the theory of the point of no return and infinite density makes the game "Singularity" understand. Passing a mission involves moving in space and time, where the two concepts are one. The hero moves between 1950 and 2010, correcting the mistakes of Soviet scientists and saving modern convicts imprisoned on an island surrounded by radiation. If you plunge into this world, then you can gradually understand what time means in the spatial dimension.
Summarizing
Studying all the secrets of the cosmos that relate to gravity makes it possible to understand that the theory of relativity limits us to the utmost. Of course, this is an incredible find for terrestrial conditions, but if it comes to the study of other spaces, then it is worth discarding all stereotypes. A concept such as “singularity” reverses the perception of sound, light pulses, the curvature of space, and the length of time. But it is found so far only in mathematical theory, and in physical practice does not find an explanation. The black hole singularity is currently being studied in more detail, but it is believed that this area, although compressed to infinity, is not the most collapsed point in the universe.