The true name of the theory was, the "Alpher-Bethe-Gamow paper" or αβγ (for Alpha, Beta and Gamma from the Greek alphabet) also known as the " Alphabetical Article" which was created by Ralph Alpher, a physics PhD student and his advisor George Gamow.

According to "en.wikipedia.org":

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This theory suggests that the Big Bang would create hydrogen, helium and heavier elements in correct proportions as to explain their abundance in the early universe. While the original theory neglected a number of processes important to the formation of heavy elements, subsequent developments showed that Big Bang nucleosynthesis is consistent with the observed constraints on all primordial elements.

The theory proposed that all atomic nuclei are produced by successive capture of neutrons, one mass unit at a time, but later studies challenged the universality of the successive capture theory. This discovery meant that the successive capture theory could not account for higher elements.

It was eventually recognized that most of the heavy elements observed in the present universe are the result of stellar nucleosynthesis in stars, a theory largely developed by Bethe himself. However, the Alpher-Bethe-Gamow theory does correctly explain the relative abundances of the isotopes of hydrogen and helium.

Today, nucleosynthesis is widely considered to have taken place in two stages: formation of hydrogen and helium according to the Alpher–Bethe–Gamow theory, and stellar nucleosynthesis of higher elements according to Bethe's later theories.
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Therefore, the Alpher-Bethe-Gamow theory is used today to support one stage of the Big Bang nucleosynthesis.

http://www.crystalinks.com/bigbang2.jpg
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpher-Bethe-Gamow_paper

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