Did the Universe have a beginning?

Alexander Vilenkin
Phys. Rev. D 46, 2355 – Published 15 September 1992
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Abstract

It is argued that ‘‘eternal inflation’’ must have a beginning in time. Conditions are formulated for a spacetime to describe an eternally inflating universe without a beginning, and it is shown that these conditions cannot be satisfied. A rigorous proof is given for a two-dimensional spacetime, and a plausibility argument for four dimensions.

  • Received 3 August 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.46.2355

©1992 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Alexander Vilenkin

  • California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125

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Issue

Vol. 46, Iss. 6 — 15 September 1992

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