Scientists Predict Universe Will Collapse in 33.3 Billion Years as Dark Energy May Weaken
Updated
Updated · AOL · Sep 12
Scientists Predict Universe Will Collapse in 33.3 Billion Years as Dark Energy May Weaken
2 articles · Updated · AOL · Sep 12
Summary
33.3 billion years is the projected timeline for a “Big Crunch,” with researchers saying the universe could eventually stop expanding and collapse back into a single point.
Dark energy drives that forecast: the study argues the force behind cosmic expansion may not be constant, allowing expansion to slow, peak and then reverse.
69% larger than today is the universe’s estimated maximum size before contraction begins, according to the model from researchers at Cornell, Shanghai Jiao Tong and other institutions.
13.8 billion years after the Big Bang, the universe would still have roughly 20 billion years left under this scenario, though Earth is expected to become uninhabitable long before any final collapse.