Is the Universe Eternal?
The universe began approximately 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang. But will it last forever?
Modern cosmology proposes several possible endings:
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Heat Death
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Big Crunch
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Big Rip
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Vacuum Decay
Heat Death Scenario
If the universe continues expanding forever, stars will burn out, galaxies will drift apart, and entropy will reach maximum levels. Eventually, no usable energy will remain.
Big Crunch Scenario
If gravity overcomes expansion, the universe could collapse back into a dense singularity.
Big Rip Scenario
Accelerating expansion driven by dark energy could eventually tear apart galaxies, stars, planets, and even atoms.
Final Thoughts
Current observations suggest that Heat Death is the most likely fate. However, the true destiny of the universe remains one of the greatest mysteries in physics.