Two parallel "branes" (membranes of a higher-dimensional theory) approach each other through an extra spatial dimension. In ekpyrotic/cyclic cosmology models, their collision converts kinetic + tension energy into a hot burst of particles and radiation — a speculative alternative to the standard inflationary Big Bang.
E_release ≈ T · v_rel² (T = brane tension, v_rel = closing speed)
d(t) = d0 − v_rel · t (separation shrinks linearly, then bounces if cyclic)
- Approach speed — closing velocity of the two branes through the bulk dimension.
- Brane tension — how much energy is stored per unit collision speed; higher tension means a more violent burst.
- Grid resolution — density of the visualized brane surface mesh.
- Cyclic model — after collision, branes rebound and separate again, repeating indefinitely (cyclic universe); off = single one-shot collision.
- Reset — restores initial separation and clears accumulated energy.
Real application (speculative): brane-collision cosmology is a serious research topic in string theory attempting to explain the Big Bang as a collision event rather than a singularity — an open, actively-debated idea, not settled physics.