A new study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics suggests that the universe may be dying much faster than previously thought. The researchers, led by Heino Falcke, have proposed a theoretical maximum lifespan for the universe based on Stephen Hawking’s famous black hole radiation theory.
The estimate suggests that most remnants of the last stars will die after around 1 quinvigintillion years, which is equivalent to 1078 times the number of zeros between 100 and 1. This is significantly shorter than the previous upper estimate of 101,100 years for stellar remnant decay.
According to the study, neutron stars will evaporate in about 1068 years, while white dwarfs will survive for up to 1 quinvigintillion years. Supermassive black holes might even last longer, with a potential lifespan of 1096 years.
While this new estimate suggests that the universe may have a relatively short lifespan, it’s still expected to be around for an incredibly long time – approximately 1 quadrillion years. However, our current understanding of cosmology predicts that the universe will expand so fast in the next 150 to 200 billion years that most galaxies will no longer be visible to us.
The study also notes that even if this theory is correct, there’s no guarantee that the universe will last anywhere near that long. Ultimately, everything will decay and perish eventually.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/the-universe-is-dying-much-faster-than-scientists-thought-new-study-suggests