IUPAC definition. polymerization: The process of converting a monomer or a mixture of monomers into a polymer. An example of alkene polymerization, in which each styrene monomer's double bond reforms as a single bond plus a bond to another styrene monomer.
There is evidence to indicate the Big Bang may have resulted from another, earlier universe collapsing in on itself, rather than from expanding from a point on infinitely hot and dense material. Instead, the universe appears to be going through constant phases of expansion (as it is at present) and contraction in a never-ending cycle. This theory of universe formation, known as the Big Bounce, was first proposed almost a century ago.
Fundamental mysteries. According to the standard Big Bang model, the universe was born during a period of inflation that began about 13.7 billion years ago. Like a rapidly expanding balloon, it swelled from a size smaller than an electron to nearly its current size within a tiny fraction of a second.iew full size image. Editor's Note: We asked several scientists from various fields what they thought were the greatest mysteries today, and then we added a few that were on our minds, too. This article is one of 15 in LiveScience's Greatest Mysteries series running each weekday.