According To Holographic Model, Universe May End In a Big Freeze.

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Researchers propose that a hypothetical form of dark energy could lead to a bleak future for the universe: a “long freeze,” where everything gradually slows down.

In this scenario, the universe would expand to a finite size. Temperatures would drop so low that all activity would essentially stop.

Dark energy, discovered in the 1990s, is the enigmatic force driving the universe’s accelerated expansion, and it remains a key mystery in modern cosmology. Among the theories is holographic dark energy, which suggests that gravity and space might be illusions, with our universe fundamentally two-dimensional. Exotic quantum forces on this surface create the effects we perceive as gravity and 3D structure.

This theory naturally leads to the accelerated expansion we associate with dark energy.

Image by Nasa for Unsplash

Recently, two astrophysicists studied the long-term fate of the universe under this holographic dark energy model, publishing their findings on Sept. 30 in the preprint database arXiv (not yet peer-reviewed).

Dark energy constitutes about 70% of the universe’s energy density. As the universe expands, both regular and dark matter densities decrease, while dark energy becomes more prominent. The researchers focused solely on holographic dark energy to explore the universe’s ultimate fate.

They discovered that while holographic dark energy would continue to drive expansion, its influence would gradually diminish, leading to a slow down in acceleration. Eventually, the universe’s expansion rate would stabilize at a nearly constant value, locking it into a final size.

However, as the expansion slows, the density of holographic dark energy decreases as well, alongside the shrinking density of matter. This leads to a complete halt of the universe’s expansion. The researchers termed this scenario the “long freeze,” contrasting it with other outcomes like the “Big Freeze” (where expansion continues indefinitely) and the “Big Crunch” (where the universe collapses back to the Big Bang).

The long freeze paints a grim picture. Even though expansion eventually ceases, there won’t be new energy sources for the matter within the universe. As a result, stars will eventually die out, and subatomic particles will drift apart in the cold emptiness.

Sadly, even the most imaginative theories in cosmology don’t offer a hopeful conclusion for the universe.


Sara

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