Short Wave SPACE WEEK: An Astrophysicist On The End Of Everything
Sep 4, 2020
Katie Mack, an astrophysicist at North Carolina State University and author of 'The End of Everything, Astrophysically Speaking,' discusses the universe's intriguing potential endings. She dives into concepts like heat death, vacuum decay, and the chilling implications of dark energy on cosmic expansion. Listeners are captivated by the unpredictability of quantum mechanics and its role in these theories. The conversation blends existential curiosity with entertaining insights, providing a thought-provoking look at our universe's fate.
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Dark Energy's Role
- The universe's expansion is accelerating due to dark energy, a mysterious force.
- Dark energy's nature will determine the universe's fate, but it remains largely unknown.
Heat Death Scenario
- Heat death is a possible end where the universe expands indefinitely, becoming cold, dark, and empty.
- Galaxies isolate, stars die, and even black holes evaporate over trillions of years.
The Big Rip
- The Big Rip is a more violent end where phantom dark energy tears apart galaxies, stars, planets, and even space itself.
- This unraveling would be observable and unavoidable, as dark energy intensifies over time.
