Re: QM requires an observer.
Some Interpritation of QM imply that reality requires "observation" (usually without defining "observation" well). Others do not.
Read
Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
What you are talking about is the "Consciousness Causes Collapse", or the "
Copenhagen interpretation" with "Consciousness" being the only measuring device.
There are other interpritation that don't require a consciousness present, or observing the consequences of, the big bang. My personal favourate is the
Many-worlds interpretation.
Note: my knowledge of QM comes from a math background, various pop-sci sources, a housemate who does research in quantum computation, a PhD student friend of mine, and the wikipedia. I am not an authority on the subject.