A thrilling exploration of competing cosmological origin stories, comparing new scientific ideas that upend our very notions of space, time, and reality.
 
By most popular accounts, the universe started with a bang some 13.8 billion years ago. But what happened before the Big Bang? And how do we know it happened at all? Here prominent cosmologist Niayesh Afshordi and science communicator Phil Halper offer a tour of the peculiar possibilities: bouncing and cyclic universes, time loops, creations from nothing, multiverses, black hole births, string theories, and holograms. Along the way, they offer both a call for new physics and a riveting story of scientific debate.
 
Incorporating insights from Afshordi’s cutting-edge research and Halper’s original interviews with scientists like Stephen Hawking, Roger Penrose, and Alan Guth, Battle of the Big Bang compares these models for the origin of our origins, showing each theory’s strengths and weaknesses and explaining new attempts to test these notions. Battle of the Big Bang is a tale of rivalries and intrigue, of clashes of ideas that have raged from Greek antiquity to the present day over whether the universe is eternal or had a beginning, whether it is unique or one of many. But most of all, Afshordi and Halper show that this search is filled with wonder, discovery, and community—all essential for remembering a forgotten cosmic past.

"“A book that leaves you feeling like you understand less about the universe than when you started it might sound like it has failed. But when that ‘understanding’ was an illusion based on dogma, and a book manages to pry open a long-sealed door in your mind, that’s a success. Battle of the Big Bang offers both intellectual humility and a reviving invitation to remain eternally open-minded. It reminded me of how far I’d drifted from being one of the fearless schoolchildren who, after I declare with certainty that the universe began with a Big Bang, ask, 'But what came before it?' That curiosity, unashamed and persistent, is far more scientific than shutting the door for fear of the uncertain.”" - Physics World

"Each of the more than two dozen proposals is wilder than the last. . . . With helpful diagrams and illustrations, the authors succeed in breaking down for lay readers the mind-bending physics behind each theory. This will expand readers’ minds." - Publishers Weekly

"This is not only an exploration of scientific inquiry but also a compelling narrative about the evolution of ideas, from ancient Greek philosophy to modern cosmology. It offers an engaging blend of history, science, and intellectual debate and will appeal to readers with an interest in physics, astronomy, and the mysteries of existence, making it an invaluable resource for those looking to understand the origins of our universe." - Library Journal

"May 2025 Must-Read Books" - Next Big Idea Club

"Competing cosmological origin stories, new scientific ideas that upend our very notions of space, time and reality." - The Bookseller

"Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins by Afshordi and Halper surveys theories of what caused the big bang, including black holes, 'bouncing' universes, and time loops." - Publishers Weekly (Spring 2025 Fiction & Nonfiction Preview: Science)

"You’ve heard of the big bang, the explosive origin to our universe. But what made the big bang? What’s the origin of the origin of our universe? Halper and Perimeter researcher Afshordi offer explanations based on interviews with scientists like Stephen Hawking, Roger Penrose, and more. If you have someone wondering about the original 'chicken or the egg?' question of our universe, then this book is for them." - Perimeter Institute (2024 Perimeter science nerd gift guide)

"The universe is the oldest thing in existence, yet studying its origin yields some of the freshest insights science can offer. Jointly written by a researcher deeply embedded in the field and a popularizer of ideas, equally talented at the different things they do, Battle of the Big Bang lays out everything there is to know and everything that’s still to be discovered about cosmology." - Leviathan Bookstore