The universe will end much sooner than previously thought, new study revises deep-time cosmological predictions

A new scientific study has revised long-standing predictions about the possible lifespan of the universe, suggesting that it could end much sooner than previously thought, albeit on a timescale far beyond human imagination.

For decades, scientists believed that the universe could last about 10¹¹⁰⁰ years—an almost unfathomably large number. However, a recent study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics revised this estimate to about 10⁷⁸ years.

While both figures represent unimaginable lengths of time, the new calculations significantly shorten the projected lifespan of the cosmos and change scientific understanding of its ultimate fate.

The revised timeline is largely based on a better understanding of Hawking radiation, a theory proposed by physicist Stephen Hawking in 1975. The theory suggests that black holes slowly emit radiation, lose mass, and eventually evaporate completely.

Researchers now suggest that similar evaporation effects could occur even without a traditional event horizon. As the study notes, the curvature of spacetime itself could potentially stimulate this process.

Scientists at Radboud University, including Heino Falcke, Michael Vondrak and Walter van Suilekom, have extended this idea not only to black holes, but also to other cosmic objects.

The analysis focused primarily on white dwarf stars, which are the compact remnants of stars like the Sun. Given that approximately 97% of the stars in the Milky Way are predicted to eventually become white dwarfs, their longevity significantly influences the extended evolutionary trajectory of the Universe.

This study suggests that these stellar remnants may undergo decay over a period of approximately 10⁷⁸ years, thereby setting a new standard for the final phases of cosmic evolution.

For context, the age of the universe is currently about 13.8 billion years, which is almost a negligible fraction of even the revised time scale.

Lead researcher Heino Falcke summarized the findings by noting that while the end of the universe may come sooner than expected, it is still unimaginably far into the future.

The study shows that as physical theories develop, they continue to change the way we see the universe. Even with the updated calculations, the end of the universe will still be something that will happen over an incredibly long time, far beyond what any of us can imagine.