Cyclic Cosmology from Vacuum Relaxation

Problem: Standard cosmology requires three separate ad-hoc mechanisms to work: an initial singularity where physics breaks down, cosmic inflation to explain homogeneity, and dark matter plus dark energy to explain structure and acceleration. It has no physical mechanism for how a universe can begin, end, and begin again without violating the Second Law. Solution: We present a non-singular cyclic cosmology in which cosmic evolution is driven by a single physical process: vacuum relaxation.Each epoch begins not from absolute Nothingness, but from the compressed residue of its predecessor. The vacuum relaxes over a characteristic time tau_relax = 1/3 s, producing a recursive generational cascade with scaling factor kappa ~ 10^5.This mechanism replaces the singularity with a finite-density Small Bang, replaces inflation with a deterministic weaving process, and removes the need for dark matter and dark energy as separate entities. The model is falsifiable. It predicts a preferred axis in the cosmic microwave background as a fossil of the initial weaving axis, and specific deviations from LambdaCDM in large-scale structure growth, and more. Part 3 of the Kramer Trilogy 2026. Companion to A Necessary Descent from Nothing (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24147063) and Gravity and Mass Hierarchy from Topological Solitons (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24147109). Author: Cornelis Kramer, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ORCID: 0009-0009-9485-2485.