Ultimate fate of the universe: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:21, 19 April 2004

Revision as of 20:37, 22 April 2004

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The [[Big Crunch]] theory is a symmetrical view of the life of the Universe. Just as the [[Big Bang]] started a cosmological expansion, this theory postulates that the average density of the Universe is enough to stop its expansion and begin a cosm-wide contraction.

It is unclear what the end result would be: a simple extrapolation would have all the matter and space-time in the Universe collapse into a dimensionless [[gravitational singularity|singularity]], but at these scales quantum effects, ignored by General Relativity, should be considered. Some people use this opportunity to postulate an [[oscillatory Universe]], that starts again to expand.

== Life in a mortal Universe ==