Researchers Propose Method to Eliminate Big Bang Singularity Using Degenerate Spacetime Metric
A theoretical physics paper presented at the Corfu Summer Institute's Workshop on Tensions in Cosmology argues that the Big Bang curvature singularity in standard Friedmann cosmology can be eliminated by using a degenerate spacetime metric. The work, authored by Frans Klinkhamer, also explores the possible emergence of CPT-conjugated mirror worlds and the role of an extended version of Einstein's field equations. If validated, the approach could offer a mathematically consistent alternative to the singular origin of the universe that has long challenged standard cosmological models.
A preprint submitted to arXiv by Frans Klinkhamer (report number KA-TP-08-2026) proposes that the curvature singularity at the Big Bang — a fundamental problem in the Friedmann solutions of Einstein's gravitational field equations — can be resolved by adopting a degenerate spacetime metric, in which the metric tensor loses its usual invertibility at a specific moment in time. The paper, a write-up of an invited talk at the September 2025 Corfu Summer Institute workshop focused on tensions in cosmology, extends the discussion to include CPT-conjugated worlds, which are hypothetical mirror universes related by combined charge, parity, and time-reversal symmetry. The author also examines whether an extended version of Einstein's field equation may be physically relevant in this framework. The preprint spans 27 pages with 7 figures and includes an expanded appendix added in its third revision. The work sits at the intersection of general relativity, quantum cosmology, and high-energy theoretical physics, addressing one of the deepest unresolved issues in modern cosmology.
What's missing
The paper is a preprint and has not yet undergone formal peer review, so its claims have not been independently validated. The proposal's compatibility with observational cosmological data (e.g., CMB measurements, large-scale structure) is not discussed in the abstract. It is also unclear whether the degenerate metric approach avoids other known pathologies, such as geodesic incompleteness or violations of energy conditions.
What different sources said
- arXiv astro-phCenter
Big Bang revisited
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