In a groundbreaking revelation that could redefine our cosmic narrative, a recent study unveiled in the prestigious Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics posits that our universe may have experienced a "secret life" prior to the Big Bang. This audacious theory suggests that before the universe's famed expansion, it underwent a period of contraction before the Big Bang, creating black holes that could potentially explain the enigmatic nature of dark matter.

According to this avant-garde research, the universe initially contracted to an exceedingly dense state before undergoing a dramatic "bounce," leading to the expansive phase we observe today. This provocative hypothesis challenges the conventional paradigm that the universe emerged from a singular, explosive event followed by a rapid expansion. The research suggests that this rebound might significantly alter our comprehension of black holes and the elusive dark matter.

During the universe's pre-Big Bang contraction phase, density fluctuations could have birthed small black holes. These primordial entities, having endured the subsequent bounce and persisted into the current expansion phase, might constitute the mysterious dark matter, which is estimated to comprise roughly 80% of the universe's matter.

Patrick Peter, Director of Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), elucidates, "Small primordial black holes can be produced during the very early stages of the universe, and if they are not too small, their decay due to Hawking radiation will not be efficient enough to get rid of them, so they would still be around now. Weighing more or less the mass of an asteroid, they could contribute to dark matter, or even solve this issue altogether."

Should this bouncing cosmology theory gain traction, it could herald a revolutionary shift in our understanding of cosmic phenomena, particularly with regard to black holes and dark matter. The potential existence of these primordial black holes might offer a tantalizing explanation for dark matter’s elusive nature, which has long defied detection due to its non-interaction with light.

Looking ahead, scientists are optimistic that forthcoming gravitational wave detectors, such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and the Einstein Telescope, will be equipped to capture the gravitational waves emitted during the formation of these primordial black holes.

Detecting these waves could provide critical evidence supporting the notion that these ancient black holes are indeed the elusive constituents of dark matter.