The Universe Started With A Big Bang. It May End With A Big Crunch, Violently | Explainers News

The Universe Started With A Big Bang. It May End With A Big Crunch, Violently | Explainers News

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New research predicts the universe will stop expanding in 7 billion years and collapse in a Big Crunch in 33 billion, challenging previous views on dark energy

Currently, the universe is 13.8 billion years old and still expanding. (NASA)

For centuries, scientists and philosophers have debated whether the universe will expand forever or eventually collapse. Now, new research offers a compelling answer and timeline.

Physicists from Cornell University in New York, Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, and other institutions suggest the universe will stop expanding in around 7 billion years and then begin to contract, culminating in a ‘Big Crunch’ approximately 33.3 billion years from now.

The Role Of Dark Energy

This prediction hinges on dark energy, the mysterious force previously thought to drive endless expansion. Recent findings propose that dark energy is dynamic and may reverse its effect over time.

The new model depicts dark energy as a combination of an ultra-light particle (similar to an axion) and a negative cosmological constant.

Imagine the universe as a giant rubber band: it stretches outwards initially but eventually the tension pulls it back inwards. That tension symbolizes the dynamic dark energy reversing its role.

Currently, the universe is 13.8 billion years old and still expanding. In about 7 billion years, expansion will peak, with the universe approximately 69% larger than today. After this, it will begin to shrink, ultimately collapsing into a single point.

Why This Matters

Though the final collapse lies billions of years in the future, well beyond human timescales, this study represents a significant scientific milestone.

Illustration of DESI mounted on the dome of the Nicholas U. Mayall 4 meter telescope. (Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab/KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA)

It is the first to offer a testable model for the universe’s end, drawing on data from major international projects such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). However, the model is not without controversy, especially regarding the negative cosmological constant, and more precise data is required.

No Cause For Alarm

While the Big Crunch may seem alarming, it remains a distant event. By then, the Sun will have burnt out and the Milky Way will likely have merged with Andromeda. Humanity may be long gone or transformed.

The true value of this research lies in enhancing our understanding of the universe’s fundamental nature and the forces shaping its destiny.

News explainers The Universe Started With A Big Bang. It May End With A Big Crunch, Violently
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