The Universe as Ongoing Phase Transition: A Continuous Crystallization Framework for Cosmological Evolution

We propose a theoretical framework in which the event conventionally designated as the “Big Bang” is reinterpreted not as a discrete singularity in the finite past but as a continuous, ongoing process of successive symmetry-breaking phase transitions. In this model, the accelerating expansion of the universe, the hierarchical formation of large-scale structure, and the emergence of information-integrating systems are not downstream consequences of an initial event but rather constitute the persistent unfolding of that same process. We reframe cosmic evolution as progressive crystallization from an initial state of maximal symmetry (effective temperature T approaching infinity) toward increasing structural differentiation (decreasing effective T), wherein each quantum decoherence event, each measurement interaction, and each information-integration process constitutes a local instance of the same primordial symmetry-breaking mechanism. This framework offers an alternative interpretation of the accelerating expansion that does not require dark energy as a distinct substance, draws a structural analogy between quantum measurement and cosmological evolution, and situates information-processing systems within the causal structure of the universe rather than as epiphenomena external to it. Conjecture status: The core claims of this paper remain theoretical conjectures. Where testable predictions are offered, they are identified as such. No experimental validation has yet been performed.