: Nothing escapes from a black hole. Conditions prior : to the big bang were, by all accounts, an extreme case : of black hole. So how could the big bang result in : expansion? Ah, but that's assuming that the conditions in the early universe were the same as now--which wasn't the case.

The early universe was in a state that can best be describes as a 'false vaccuum' The energy density was so high that the four forces that we are familiar with today were unified--including gravity.

What let this incredibly dense state expand--well, parts of space began to cool and fall through a phase change (much as water freezes -- a phase change from a very homogeneous isotropic state to a ordered, non-isotropic state)

This 'phase change' from false vaccuum to real vaccuum drove a process called 'inflation.' The universe expanded far faster than the speed of light! (and remember, it wasn't the the good-ol' fabric of space time we're familiar with was being stretched, it was actually 'freezing out' during the expansion.)

Clear as mud? Good. Here's some references to check out Alan Guth, Hyperinflation Theory Micho Kaku -- "Hyperspace" an excellent book