The Big Bang theory is the prevailing scientific model for the origin and evolution of the universe. According to this theory, the universe originated from a highly dense and hot state, often referred to as a singularity, approximately 13.8 billion years ago. However, attempting to describe the conditions or events before the Big Bang is currently beyond the scope of scientific understanding. The concept of "before" the Big Bang or what may have existed outside or inside the singularity is speculative and falls outside the realm of empirical observation and scientific investigation.
In the context of the current understanding of physics, it is difficult to apply familiar concepts such as atoms, inflation, and emptiness to a state before the Big Bang. The laws of physics as we know them, including the behavior of atoms and the process of inflation, are understood within the framework of our expanding universe and its evolution after the Big Bang.
It's important to note that cosmologists and physicists are actively engaged in studying the origins of the universe, including theories such as cosmic inflation. However, speculating on the specifics of what occurred before the Big Bang or attempting to describe it in terms of familiar concepts requires advancements in theoretical physics and cosmology that are currently ongoing areas of research.