Behind the numerous popular descriptions of the big bang, there is an elaborate mathematical edifice. The article calls it a “conceptual framework” upon which “floor upon floor has been added intact”. There is a story being told with this mathematics. However, is this story history based firmly on (observational, experimental) science, or is it largely a historical novel with elements of science fiction?The SciAm article strongly suggests that it is the latter—a novel. It is based on an assumed history and is loosely grounded with elements of real science. But there is also lots of science fiction, including, as will...