The most ambitious job that astrono mers attempt is trying to figure out how the universe was formed. Two hypotheses dominate their debates. The "continuous creation theory" (TIME, Nov. 20, 1950) holds that the universe had no beginning and will have no end. It changes locally somewhat because of the "creation" of new matter (hydrogen atoms) in space. The hydrogen draws together to form new stars and galaxies, which gradually drift apart. But except for such "details," the universe is always in a "steady state." One thousand billion years from now it will be pretty much in the same condition as...
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