68% of physicists don’t think time started at the big bang

Researchers surveyed over 1,600 physicists in the Big Mysteries in Physics poll. 68% said the Big Bang does not necessarily mark the start of time, only the universe's expansion from a hot dense state. Only 51% agreed with inflation theory.

• 68% of 1,600+ physicists: Big Bang is not the start of time
• Only 51% supported inflationary expansion after the Big Bang
• 17% see dark matter as an unknown particle, 12% as modified gravity
• 19% see string theory as best path to quantum gravity, 18% oppose