The universe could end sooner than predicted by some advanced physics and cosmology models. Here is an overview of the theories and possibilities that scientists are considering.
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| Photo image AlvaroBH |
1. Metastable Universe Model
One of the more notable theories is that our universe is not completely stable, but is in a “false vacuum”. This involves:
The Higgs Boson – a particle discovered in 2012.
Calculations suggest that the current vacuum state of the universe may not be the lowest energy state.
This leads to the possibility of vacuum decay – a low-energy bubble that could form and expand at the speed of light, wiping out all existing matter.
The result: The universe would end abruptly, without warning, and inevitably.
2. Big Crunch, Big Rip, or Big Bounce Model
Depending on the mass of matter, dark energy, and the curvature of space:
Big Crunch: The universe stops expanding, begins to contract, and collapses.
Big Rip: Dark energy causes the universe to expand to the point where all structures are torn apart – from galaxies → planets → atoms.
Big Bounce: The universe collapses and then “bounces” – a never-ending cycle of birth and death.
Some new theories suggest that the end may come hundreds of billions of years earlier than previously predicted.
3. New calculations shorten the “shelf life” of the universe
In 2021, a study calculated that the universe could enter a “contraction” phase within the next 100 million years, instead of continuing to expand forever.
Source: From the revised models involving dark energy — the substance that makes up 70% of the universe’s energy and controls the rate of expansion.
Should we worry?
No. These scenarios all happen in hundreds of millions to billions of years, or suddenly and cannot be detected, stopped, or sensed.
But philosophically these scenarios raise questions about the meaning of existence, the nature of time, and the role of human intelligence in the universe.
