Recap

Cosmological Theories

Writer for Science Magazine, Charles Seife talked about dark energy, and the nature and end of the universe. Seife suggested we've reached a pivotal point where "the universe is losing it."

According to Seife, physicists have proposed two possibilities for the end of the universe: 1) the universe will slow its expansion, then collapse in a "big crunch" or 2) the universe will continue to expand, pushed along by an anti-gravity force called dark energy. Eventually, dark energy could overcome the force of gravity and rip apart everything in the universe, Seife warned.

Seife also discussed God, extra dimensions, parallel universes, as well as the Big Bang theory, which posits the universe sprang forth from an explosion that hurled matter in all directions. The existence and density of cosmic background radiation, Seife explained, is evidence that the Big Bang really happened. He said some scientists think the universe was created when two parallel "membranes" collided, suggesting the existence of several other universes besides our own.

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