Universe's fate: New calculations suggest earlier end date
Recent research by Dutch scientists suggests that the universe may meet its end much sooner than previously estimated. Although we still face a vast timeline of 10 to the power of 78 years, this marks a significant shift from earlier predictions.
What you need to know
- Research from Radboud University proposes that the universe could end its existence earlier than anticipated. According to new calculations, all stars will extinguish in one quinvigintillion years—that's a 1 followed by seventy-eight zeros.
- Scientists based their calculations on Hawking radiation, indicating that black holes and other cosmic objects have finite lifespans.
- The Sun will be too hot for life on Earth in about a billion years, and in eight billion years, it will engulf our planet.
New scientific findings
A team from Radboud University in the Netherlands, led by Heino Falcke, has published research suggesting that the universe's demise may occur much sooner than previously believed. Their calculations, grounded in Hawking radiation theory, propose the universe will last for another 10 to the power of 78 years, or one quinvigintillion years (that’s a 1 followed by 78 zeros).
This marks a substantial change from earlier estimates, which postulated that the universe had a timeline extending to 10 to the power of 1100 years, a 1 followed by 1100 zeros.
Implications for Earth's future
While the universe's end is far off, scientists caution that life on Earth will cease much earlier. In about a billion years, the Sun will become too hot for life on Earth, causing oceans to evaporate. Eventually, in eight billion years, the Sun will expand and swallow our planet.
Understanding Hawking radiation
The research builds on the theory of Hawking radiation, which suggests that black holes emit radiation, leading to their gradual disappearance. Radboud University scientists have extended this theory to other cosmic entities, such as white dwarfs, calculating their theoretical decay times. Walter van Suijlekom, a co-author of the research, points out that this approach could enhance our understanding of the theory and help unravel its mysteries in the future.
