Everything has a beginning and everything has an end. And that seems to be true for our universe. Scientists have recently estimated the date of its collapse and disappearance, and the results are quite precise.
As you may know, there are many theories about the creation of the universe. The main one is the Big Bang, which refers to a sudden explosion and expansion of the universe that seems to be continuing today. However, many questions remain on this subject, and not all scientists agree on this point. Some believe that the universe, as we know it, could stop expanding at a specific point in time.
As a result, in a study reported by ScienceAlert, scientists have defined a model using data collected by the Dark Energy Survey and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to estimate the date of collapse and disappearance of our universe. Based on the results of these calculations, they estimate that the Big Crunch, a phase of contraction that will reduce the cosmos to a singularity point where time and space no longer exist, could occur when the universe reaches the age of 33.3 billion years.
Thus, estimating its current age at 13.8 billion years, there would be approximately 20 billion years left before everything disappears. Consequently, this study challenges the idea that the universe is constantly expanding. According to the researchers, it will reach its maximum size in 7 billion years.
But to obtain such results, they used dark matter. Dark matter makes up about 27% of our universe, followed by dark energy, which is estimated at 68%. For years, scientists believed that its force allowed the universe to expand without interruption. However, for some time now, models seem to show that dark matter is dynamic and could become powerful enough to cause the end of the universe.
Nevertheless, caution is advised, as this model is based solely on the Big Crunch theory. There are other theories about the end of the cosmos, such as Heat Death and the Big Rip. We must also remember that we will not have the final say on this cataclysmic event. Indeed, our sun will burn out in 5 billion years, destroying all life on Earth.
Source(s)
Geo.fr (in French)