A good overview of particle physics. However there is no solid evidence for a BIG BANG.
In fact it contradicts the first law of thermodynamics in that "Energy cannot be created or destroyed". If this is indeed the case (and there seems to be no evidence to falsify this law) then all the Energy in the Universe must have been concentrated into a minuscule or non existent area before this "Big Bang".

To explain this, the notion of a "Singularity" was postulated, but unfortunately no one can explain what exactly this could be, or how it could exist or why it should explode etc. In other words a Singularity is just a name for something that nobody understands.

I believe we find ourselves in this apparent paradox because we insist that the Universe must have started sometime, despite the fact that if Energy cannot be created or destroyed it must have always existed i.e It was never created (since that's not possible)

Similarity I believe that the same applies to the Universe as a whole as it is essentially nothing more than a form of this same Energy. And while it might expand, contract, explode, implode and all the other things it might do, the fact remains that it always existed (since Energy can't be created) and always will (since Energy can't be destroyed).

Please feel free to challenge these assertions