What was there before?

Hi

I have always thought that the universe was created by a "big bang" and have taken this for granted. I have read many many books on the subject and other related topics but lying in the bath the other day i suddenly thought did it rearly happen like that or have i just been brainwashed because of the times i am getting brought up in (im 22), Just like people have been brainwashed with different theories since we became inteligent.

I know there is a lot of evidence to say there was a big bang but what was there before. I dont believe there could be nothing like most of the books say. I think if there was a big bang then there must have been universes before ours, which have collapsed and then "big banged" again.

So there would have been multiple consecutive universes all using the same matter from the previous ones.

This also means that the universe that we are living in today will one day collapse back down to the tiniest of atoms and then (in my opinion anyway) imediately start expanding again to form a new universe.

Does anybody agree with me and if not could you please give your explanations about what was there before and what you think happened.

For all we know this univers could have been here forever. No universes before and no universes to come, just this one. Maybe we are so hung up on trying to fathom out our existence we create these theories and experiments and then make the results fit just so we think we know whats going on. Again, like people have done for years with religion and everything else (no offence, just an example)

Id love to hear your views on any of this as there is only me and my brother who talk about this, we spend hours talking about things like this and id like to hear other peoples views. No other friends or family have got the brain cells to even contemplate it lol

Very glad i just found this forum

Anyway thanks for reading

Izzy Brewer