January 31, 2010

Day II - End of the Universe

What is an interesting thing to think about if you're a long term thinker?  How about the end of the universe?  Apparently, a new calculation of the amount of entropy in the universe has revealed much higher numbers than originally thought.  Of course the researchers can't put a number yet on when exactly every particle in the universe is around the same energy excitement level, but they assured us that it would be after the sun has done its red giant blossoming thing.

I wonder if this 'heat death scenario' is the same as another end of days theory I've heard about?  It involves the expansion of the universe eventually leading to a point, the 'Big Rip,' where no matter will coalesce and form new stars anymore.  Everything in the universe - stars, planets, moons - will be smeared out to elementary particles just floating in space.  They'll never get back together for a reunion party in a star's core or a planet's crust because everything will be too spread out.  Boring!  Of course before that happens the expansion, which increases, will cause every galaxy to disappear from view.  That's right.  They'll be so far away the light won't reach us.  The only stars will be those in our own galaxy and of course those will be going out as the galaxy evolves and no new ones will form...and it leads to particle butter scraped over too much bread!  

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