What was the reaction to the Big Bang Theory when it was announced?

Answer 1

When Jesuit priest Georges LeMaitre first presented the concept of an expanding universe in 1927, very few scientists even read the article -- it was in fairly obscure journal. Not until Arthur Eddington, in 1930, translated LeMaitre's work did other cosmologists take note -- and a lot of the response was derisive. LeMaitre quoted Einstein as saying, "Your math is correct, but your physics is abominable."

When LeMaitre explicitly stated that our Universe once had (his words) "a day with no yesterday," most scientists rejected the idea, preferring the Steady State Model.

When the cosmic microwave background radiation was discovered in 1964, Big Bang Cosmology was accepted by the vast majority of scientists. As more and more of its predictions were found to perfectlyl match observations, the steady state model went further and further to the fringes, and is now considered almost pseudo-science.

Answer 2

The Big Bang Theory was initially met with skepticism by some scientists due to its radical implications. However, over time, the overwhelming evidence in support of the theory, such as the cosmic microwave background radiation, has led to its widespread acceptance within the scientific community. Today, the Big Bang Theory is the leading explanation for the origin and evolution of the universe.