We have to accept that about ten billion years or so ago the universe was far smaller
and hotter than it is now. Indeed if we trace backwards in time we will expect to reach a
point when all matter and energy were condensed to a point, and time, space and very
existence itself had no meaning. Such a possibility would seem to be abhorrent to us,
since we cannot hope to discuss any thing about the nature of the world before then. We
appear finally to have met the impossible. We can go back no further.
