Will the last man out switch out the lights .... This is now the case for the universe, which to quote one researcher " ... will decline from here on in, like an old age that lasts forever. The Universe has basically sat down on the sofa, pulled up a blanket and is about to nod off for an eternal doze."
I really like that imagery .... '... an eternal doze'. Rather like something from a Discworld story by the late Terry Prachett.
The reason for this, is that all the evidence points to the fact that star formation peaked a few billion years ago and has been declining ever since, and we are now seeing a gathering decline in the total energy output of galaxies at three different ages. From this researchers were able to extrapolate that there has been a steady slump in total output, from 2.25 billion years ago to 0.75 billion years ago, the Universe's output apparently fell by about 40%.
But don't lose any sleep over this post, as the eventual end of the Universe is still a long, long, long way off, and it is far too early to put an actual date on it, but rest assured it will be long after Sol has gone nova and blasted Earth into atoms .... According to current models, the Sun is expected to increase in luminosity by 10% in the next 800 million years which will eradicate all major life (which is the end of our lives, if we have lasted that long) .... or technically, in 5 billion years from now as according to most accepted models of stellar evolution, the Sun will eventually run out of hydrogen fuel to fuse into helium and will expand, becoming a red giant as a result.
So that's at least several billion years away .... on a Thursday morning, at about 11:30, when they start building that Intergalactic Bypass.
I really like that imagery .... '... an eternal doze'. Rather like something from a Discworld story by the late Terry Prachett.
The reason for this, is that all the evidence points to the fact that star formation peaked a few billion years ago and has been declining ever since, and we are now seeing a gathering decline in the total energy output of galaxies at three different ages. From this researchers were able to extrapolate that there has been a steady slump in total output, from 2.25 billion years ago to 0.75 billion years ago, the Universe's output apparently fell by about 40%.
The Universe Is Huge .....
But don't lose any sleep over this post, as the eventual end of the Universe is still a long, long, long way off, and it is far too early to put an actual date on it, but rest assured it will be long after Sol has gone nova and blasted Earth into atoms .... According to current models, the Sun is expected to increase in luminosity by 10% in the next 800 million years which will eradicate all major life (which is the end of our lives, if we have lasted that long) .... or technically, in 5 billion years from now as according to most accepted models of stellar evolution, the Sun will eventually run out of hydrogen fuel to fuse into helium and will expand, becoming a red giant as a result.
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| One Day The Sun Will Swallow The Earth ..... |
So that's at least several billion years away .... on a Thursday morning, at about 11:30, when they start building that Intergalactic Bypass.
I'll see you at MILLIWAYS, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe for the best view of this last, final, end of ends where you can buy me a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster with the winnings from your bet that I was going to say that !
ReplyDelete..... I knew you would enjoy yourself responding to this post. Thanks as usual for the comment Vroomfondel.
DeleteGood video. .. really shows how truly huge the universe really is.
ReplyDeleteIts pretty dramatic what with the music and all.
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