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T H E U LT I M AT E FAT E O F T H E U N I V E R S E
BO UNC
Start here IG
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DARK ENERGY
The universe appears to be ex-
panding at an accelerating rate,
and dark energy (DE)not to be
confused with dark matteris the theo- Asking what happens after the Big Crunch
retical source of energy used to explain this is much the same as asking what happened
phenomenon. According to most cosmologi- before the Big Bang. Einstein briefly considered
cal models, DE accounts for 73 percent of the the possibility of a cyclic universe with an infi-
total mass-energy (E=mc2) of the universe. The
THE nite number of oscillations, each starting with a
actual form of DE is the biggest unknown
when speculating about the universes
SHAPE bang and ending with a crunch. More recently,
loop quantum cosmology has proposed that
ultimate fate. The density of DE in OF THE a universe does not crunch into an absolute
singularity, but to a point where gravitational
space could grow until it domi-
nates all other forces, tearing apart UNIVERSE?* forces become repulsive, triggering a bounce.
gravitationally bound structures
and eventually atoms (The Big
Rip), or it could dissipate over CRUN
time, leaving gravity to rule and IG C
H
causing the universe to contract
and collapse (The Big Crunch).
The best guess, however, is the
Lambda-CDM model in OPEN FLAT CLOSED
Mo
E
More
D
Y
E
N
I
EV
DE
D
S All matter will collapse into a tiny entity of
near-infinite density.
FREEZ BI
G RIP E VA C U
IG LS
U
B
FA
The second law of thermodynamics states that In an infinitely expanding universe, where Its possible that there is a lower energy
heat flows unidirectionally from hot to cold. dark-energy density increases with time, the state than the vacuum of space, which
Given enough time, the universe will reach a rate of expansion, and therefore the scale, is is simply a temporarily stable, local mini-
point where all energy is evenly distributed as also infinite. Eventually galaxies and solar mum. If a bubble of lower energy was instan-
zero-temperature black holes. Since there will systems will become gravitationally unbound. tiated, our current vacuum might tunnel
be no matter outside of these black holes to Millions of years later, stars and planets will into it, changing all physical constants,
fall into them, and there will be no tempera- be torn apart. An instant before the end, all and therefore matter, energy, and
ture differentials to be exploited to do work, matter will disintegrate into either radiation space-time. Without warning, all
nothing will happen in this maximum-entropy or fundamental particles without substructure. structures could be instantly
universe.This is also known as heat death. destroyed.
There is not enough matter in the universe for it The mass of the universe is just sufficient to stop Spherical in shape, the universe may either con-
to be able to stop itself from expanding forever. continual expansion, meaning the rate will slow tinue expanding indefinitely, given enough dark
Space is infinite, can be described by hyperbolic so that, given an infinite amount of time, expan- energy, or could eventually reach a maximum scale
geometry, and would resemble a three-dimensional, sion will eventually cease completely. Traditional and then start to contract. It would be possible to
infinitely extended saddle shape. Euclidean geometry is valid throughout this model. circumnavigate.
Recent academic thought makes a closed universe without dark energy seem unlikely, and in 2001 the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe foundwith a 0.5 percent margin of errorthat were
inhabiting a universe that is either flat or so close to flat that we cannot detect the difference yet. However, while the Big Crunch and the Big Bounce seem no longer supported, they are not ruled out.