What Happened Before the Big Bang? Dr. Niayesh Afshordi on Time, Singularity, and Nothingness

Dr. Niayesh Afshordi is a theoretical physicist and professor at the University of Waterloo, known for his work on cosmology, quantum gravity, and the fundamental nature of the universe. His research explores some of the deepest questions in physics, including the origin of the Big Bang, the nature of time, and the limits of our current theories. He is also the co-author of The Battle of the Big Bang, where he examines competing models of the early universe and what they reveal about reality. In this episode, we explore whether the Big Bang truly marks the beginning of the universe or simply the point where our current equations break down. We discuss the meaning of singularities, the possibility of something existing before the Big Bang, and whether the universe could emerge from “nothing.” The conversation also dives into quantum mechanics, the challenge of unifying it with gravity, the role of inflationary models, and why time itself may not be fundamental.