Exotic Matter Formation as the Trigger of the Cosmological Bounce

In this note we restrict attention to the final stage of a cosmological contraction, immediately before the bounce. We propose that the formation of exotic matter is a prerequisite for the rebound. Drawing inspiration from Lockyer's layered proton model, which envisions the proton as a system of nested energy shells, we hypothesize that under extreme pressure and gravitational confinement, nucleons may evolve into more complex particles containing additional layers of energy. The collapse of such particles would liberate immense energy, thereby initiating expansion. Unlike many speculative cosmological scenarios, this work does not address the earlier mechanism of expansion and contraction, but focuses solely on the necessary conditions for the bounce itself.