"Is the universe expanding indefinitely--the Big Bang model--or does it go through cycles of expansion and contraction? Paul Steinhardt, who is Albert Einstein Professor of Science at Princeton University and on the faculty of both the Department of Physics and the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, suggests a cyclic model that could successfully compete with the Big Bang model."
Comment: this model seems to suggest the possibility of a smooth and gentle transition for intelligent life between cycles of the universe ~ if so, this would be good news for those who lend their support to the prospect of immortality in this life, in this world.
The Cyclic Universe