i read up on a theory where scientists think the universe came from a dimension larger than itself, in which long, cell-like blobs called "Branes" (short for membranes) float in an undetermined space... the Big Bang, they theorize, happened when two of those branes came in contact with eachother, causing a violent reaction, and, in our smaller dimension, throwing vast amounts of energy from seemingly nowhere.

the matter, or at this stage, particles, atoms, and soon, elements, that is seen in this new universe comes from the after-affects of the branes' collision. Scientists say that the branes at this point after they came in contact are now in an almost "rippling" like state, wherein the change in their shape causes more energy to be created and focused, but not enough to make a new Big Bang.

personally, i love the theory because it provides speculation, but honestly i find it hard to believe, only because there just isn't any evidence.

also, i was in Barnes & Noble recently, flipping thru a science magazine (on my way home from my job as a Personal Trainer.. i am a rare breed of Geek lol), and found an ad for a book called "Our Undiscovered Universe". Supposedly it provides an alternative view to the Big Bang. Ironically, I could not find the book in the store, nor was it in there computer database. It simply became "The Undiscovered Textbook", and I haven't looked for it since, but it'd probably be a great read.