LETTER:The Big Bang and why our universe may not be alone

Sir: Dr Lowrie (Letters, 6 March) points out, in answer to Professor Carswell, that the Big Bang is essentially unobservable, owing to the curvature of space. However, the excellent poster issued with the Independent on Sunday (3 March) refers to a period around 12 billion years ago as the "Universe's Dark Age" when the stars were too young to shine. So presumably, when telescopes have improved enough to see as far as 12 billion light years, there won't be anything to see at that distance, which at least would be negative evidence for the Big Bang.

Michael Bramson

Wembley, Middlesex