Will the universe expand forever?

Answer 1

I am actually not sure that it will expand forever. However, here are some things I know as a layman:

If you subscribe to "superstring theory" (and I welcome any corrections), our universe is actually like a big amoeba (known as a membrane in the theory). And that we are next to possibly infinite other membranes. The acceleration is actually an illusion in that our universe is wavering like jelly would. It posits that the "Big Bang" may have happened an infinite amount of times in our perhaps infinite past.

The "Big Bang" is actually a collision of a nearby membrane creating a massive explosion enough to wipeout and recreate all the matter and energy (including dark matter and dark energy) continuing the cycle.

This is pretty much the jist of it as I remember it, but if anyone can correct me that would be most helpful. Also, if science has already disproved this theory (which is technically impossible to prove or disprove, but only replaced by a more plausible and accepted theory) I would like to posit my own theory, or at least conjecture on why the Universe may be continuing to expand. And any input would be fantastic and greatly appreciated.

As I understand another theory, the Universe is not only expanding, but is continually excellerating, and some theorize that it is exponentially accellerating and may, at some point in our inconcievable future galaxies may drift so far apart that stars will simply freeze into inexistence (because although space may seem excruciatingly freezing, stars give minimal heat across great expanses of space to each other).

This theory also postulates that in it's expansion dark matter and dark energy is increasing in it's volume. Is it possible or even feasible that it is leaking into our universe from another unseen location? Whether it be from an alternate universe, dimension or membrane (if the school of superstring is applied here).

Appolgies if I rambled on, but this stuff friggin fascinates me!

~jaz~

Answer 2

Haha that is so weird! I'm taking a summer astronomy class and we just learned about this today. The universe is made up of 4% normal matter, 26% dark matter, and 70% dark energy. Dark energy is an anti-gravity effect which pushes the galaxy apart. There are theories about how the universe will expand and then contract back again or how the universe will expand and then after an infinite amount of time it will stop. But the rate of expansion is speeding up, not slowing down. Studies have shown that the universe is flat, like a plane, which means its size is infinte. Therefore the universe will expand on forever. Hope this helps! (=

Answer 3

Yes! It has been observed that the universe is not only expanding but accelerating. With the effect of gravity reducing over distance, it would seem that a continual expansion is inevitable.

Answer 4

Yep, and who knows when it will stop.The best theory is the baloon theory,draw a couple of spots on a baloon,the spots representing each galaxy and then blow the baloon up.The spots expand and so does the distance between each spot representing exactly what happens in space.

Answer 5

once you throw an apple interior the air no remember if it comes back or no longer relies upon on its speed. get away speed for the Earth is approximately 12 km/s. no remember if the universe expands perpetually or no longer relies upon on how plenty remember there is, and lots "dark potential" is interior the universe.

Answer 6

Sure, as the person above me said, it will never end. The only thing that remains is for us to explore all of it