End Of The Universe?

Dark energy could cause our universe to violently tear itself apart until nothing remains, physicists have claimed.

19:18 13 November 2016

Many physicists believe dark energy, an enigmatic force that gradually speeds up the expansion of the cosmos, could one day cause our universe to violently tear itself apart until nothing remains. 

 

Scientists from the University of Lisbon dug deeper to give us a closer look at how exactly the ‘Big Rip’ may destroy the universe. Current estimates pitch out universe at around 68per cent dark energy. It accelerates the expansion of the universe causing galaxies and planets to gradually inch further and further apart. In time, they will become isolated and could no longer interact and this could lead to the death of the universe. 

 

However, different outcomes can be expected if dark energy does not behave in the way predicted. One theory suggests that instead of causing a stable expansion of the universe, dark energy may accelerate this expansion over time causing a large, cosmic tear. Other possible versions of the event include ‘Little Sibling of the Big Rip’ and the “Little Rip.” Although they slightly differ in the way the universe eventually tears itself apart, they are all roughly similar. 

 

One of the researchers, Mariam Bouhmadi-López, said: 'What they have in common is that our galaxy, and all galaxies, would be ripped apart,'