Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Scientists at Durham University warn that dark energy may be weakening, leading to a possible Big Crunch where the universe collapses in on itself.
Paul Steinhardt, Director of Princeton’s Center for Theoretical Science, says new data suggests the universe may not expand forever but instead shrink into a cosmic inferno.
Credit: Hubblesite
A groundbreaking study using the DESI telescope—mapping 15 million galaxies—suggests that dark energy, once thought constant, may be weakening over time.
If dark energy loses its grip, gravity could pull galaxies together, triggering catastrophic collisions and ultimately crushing all matter into a dense core.
Researchers at Durham University say that if the collapse begins, temperatures will rise to thousands of degrees, turning the universe into an all-consuming fireball.
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Dr. Willem Elbers from Durham University and his team now challenge Einstein’s theory that dark energy is constant, suggesting it may evolve and weaken over time.
Princeton’s Paul Steinhardt warns that if dark energy continues to fade, the collapse could happen remarkably quickly—but exactly when remains unknown.
Scientists at Berkeley Lab say the Standard Model of Cosmology may need to be revised, as their findings suggest dark energy behaves unpredictably.
If the Big Crunch theory is correct, the collapse may have already begun on a cosmic scale—hidden beyond the limits of our current observations.