Quote:
Originally Posted by toretorden
Oh well, seems my thread didn't work out as well as I hoped. I had to go out there and have a look. I quickly came across an article by Michael D. Lemonick from Times magazine.
TIME.com - End of the Universe
There was also a link to the universe's timeline there which was interesting.
>> TIME.com - End of the Universe
These events are undoubtedly disputed, so if some astronomer or phycisist should drop by, some more input would be appreciated. |
Hi Toretorden,
While I am not a physicist, my dad is, and based on discussions with him I can say that your cited article's description of the universe's eternal expansion sounds correct. In other words, no "collapse" is predicted, but rather an infinite expansion...resulting in matter becoming farther and farther apart. I recommend you check out this article in
Scientific American Magazine, because the article describes the evidence that led scientists to conclude there was a Big Bang, followed by continual and accelerating expansion of the universe:
Quote:
From the March 2008 Scientific American Magazine
"The End of Cosmology? An accelerating universe wipes out traces of its own origins"
By Lawrence M. Krauss and Robert J. Scherrer
The End of Cosmology?: Scientific American
A dramatic discovery almost a decade ago motivated our study. Two different groups of astronomers traced the expansion of the universe over the past five billion years and found that it appears to be speeding up. The source of this cosmic antigravity is thought to be some new form of “dark energy” associated with empty space.
Dark energy will have an enormous impact on the future of the universe. With cosmologist Glenn Starkman of Case Western Reserve University, Krauss explored the implications for the fate of life in a universe with a cosmological constant. The prognosis: not good.
The quickening expansion will eventually pull galaxies apart faster than light, causing them to drop out of view. This process eliminates reference points for measuring expansion and dilutes the distinctive products of the big bang to nothingness. In short, it erases all the signs that a big bang ever occurred.
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