Changes

This scenario allows the Big Bang to be immediately after the Big Crunch of a preceding universe. If this occurs repeatedly, we have a cyclic model which is also known as a oscillatory universe. The universe could then consist of an infinite sequence of finite universes, each finite universe ending with a Big Crunch that is also the Big Bang of the next universe. Theoretically, the cyclic universe could not be reconciled with the second law of thermodynamics: entropy would build up from oscillation to oscillation and cause heat death. Other measurements suggested the universe is not closed. These arguments caused cosmologists to abandon the oscillating universe model. A somewhat similar idea is embraced by the cyclic model, but this idea evades heat death, because of an expansion of the branes that dilutes entropy accumulated in the previous cycle. In the big crunch, the universe will end approximately 30 billion years from now.

This scenario allows the Big Bang to be immediately after the Big Crunch of a preceding universe. If this occurs repeatedly, we have a cyclic model which is also known as a oscillatory universe. The universe could then consist of an infinite sequence of finite universes, each finite universe ending with a Big Crunch that is also the Big Bang of the next universe. Theoretically, the cyclic universe could not be reconciled with the second law of thermodynamics: entropy would build up from oscillation to oscillation and cause heat death. Other measurements suggested the universe is not closed. These arguments caused cosmologists to abandon the oscillating universe model. A somewhat similar idea is embraced by the cyclic model, but this idea evades heat death, because of an expansion of the branes that dilutes entropy accumulated in the previous cycle. In the big crunch, the universe will end approximately 30 billion years from now.

===Big Rip===

===Big Rip===

In the special case of phantom dark energy, which has even more negative pressure than a simple cosmological constant, the density of dark energy increases with time, causing the rate of acceleration to increase, leading to a steady increase in the Hubble constant. As a result, all material objects in the universe, starting with galaxies and eventually, all forms, no matter how small, will disintegrate into unbound elementary particles and radiation, ripped apart by the phantom energy force and shooting apart from each other. The end state of the universe is a singularity, as the dark energy density and expansion rate becomes infinite. For a possible timeline based on current physical theories, see 1 ¹⁹ s and more. This universe will end approximately 100 billion years from now.

In the special case of phantom dark energy, which has even more negative pressure than a simple cosmological constant, the density of dark energy increases with time, causing the rate of acceleration to increase, leading to a steady increase in the Hubble constant. As a result, all material objects in the universe, starting with galaxies and eventually, all forms, no matter how small, will disintegrate into unbound elementary particles and radiation, ripped apart by the phantom energy force and shooting apart from each other. The end state of the universe is a singularity, as the dark energy density and expansion rate becomes infinite. A possible timeline based on current physical theories suggests a time of 10¹⁹ seconds or more more. This universe will end approximately 100 billion years from now.

===Heat death===

===Heat death===

Most organized religions have a prophecy regarding the end of the universe, and of time itself. The 3 Abrahamic religions predict a "judgement day", while Buddhism follows a more "heat death" scenario.<ref>Jātaka 20:12-1 ''And the all will fall quiet, forever; all will reach nirvana, or perish in "naraka"''</ref> Others believe in an infinite "flat" universe, where everything is static<ref name="scientology">Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, Hubbard, Ron, L ''accessed 11/21/11</ref>

Most organized religions have a prophecy regarding the end of the universe, and of time itself. The 3 Abrahamic religions predict a "judgement day", while Buddhism follows a more "heat death" scenario.<ref>Jātaka 20:12-1 ''And the all will fall quiet, forever; all will reach nirvana, or perish in "naraka"''</ref> Others believe in an infinite "flat" universe, where everything is static<ref name="scientology">Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, Hubbard, Ron, L ''accessed 11/21/11</ref>

==Judeo-Christian-Islam==

===Judeo-Christian-Islam===

The Abrahamic religions teach a judgement day, where the righteous will enter heaven, and the wicked, shall either be destroyed, or suffer for all eternity in hell.<ref>Revelations 21:8 ''But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death''</ref> Regarding the universe, the three religions agree that the universe will be destroyed, and replaced with a new earth, universe, and God will reign forever and ever.  

The Abrahamic religions teach a judgement day, where the righteous will enter heaven, and the wicked, shall either be destroyed, or suffer for all eternity in hell.<ref>Revelations 21:8 ''But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death''</ref> Regarding the universe, the three religions agree that the universe will be destroyed, and replaced with a new earth, universe, and God will reign forever and ever.  

==Buddhist-Hindu==

===Buddhist-Hindu===

Buddhism and Hinduism teach that the universe will one day be devoid of life, and action. This is because the people will have escaped the cycle of life and death, desire, and suffering, and enter a state of nirvana. The wicked will suffer in naraka, for unimaginably long periods of time, but not forever.  

Buddhism and Hinduism teach that the universe will one day be devoid of life, and action. This is because the people will have escaped the cycle of life and death, desire, and suffering, and enter a state of nirvana. The wicked will suffer in naraka, for unimaginably long periods of time, but not forever.  

== Atheism and agnosticism and the fate of the universe ==

===Atheism-Agnosticism===

 

[[Image:998086u.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|[[Bertrand Russell]] ]]

[[Image:998086u.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|[[Bertrand Russell]] ]]

Although [[Bertrand Russell]] was an [[agnosticism|agnostic]], he had favorable views of atheism.<ref>Russell, Bertrand (1947) "Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?"[http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html] Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.</ref>  Bertrand Russell wrote in 1903 about [[entropy]] and the universe:

[[Bertrand Russell]], an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] or [[atheism|atheist]],<ref>Russell, Bertrand (1947) "Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?"[http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html] Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.</ref>  wrote this about [[entropy]] and the universe in 1903:

{{cquote|That man is the product of causes that had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of [[atom]]s; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve individual life beyond the grave; that all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the [[solar system]], and that the whole temple of Man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins- all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand.

{{cquote|That man is the product of causes that had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of [[atom]]s; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve individual life beyond the grave; that all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the [[solar system]], and that the whole temple of Man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins- all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand.

{{cquote|We stand on the shores of an ocean, crying to the night and the emptiness; sometimes a voice answers out of the darkness.  But it is a voice of one drowning; and in a moment the silence returns” (Bertrand Russell, Autobiography, p. 287 as quoted by Leroy Koopman, “Famous Atheists Give Their Testimonies,” Moody Monthly, Nov. 1975, p. 124.) <ref>[http://www.guidelines.org/commentaries/atheism-and-the-despair-of-hope/#sthash.deoxNoqK.dpuf Atheism and the despair of hope]</ref>}}

{{cquote|We stand on the shores of an ocean, crying to the night and the emptiness; sometimes a voice answers out of the darkness.  But it is a voice of one drowning; and in a moment the silence returns” (Bertrand Russell, Autobiography, p. 287 as quoted by Leroy Koopman, “Famous Atheists Give Their Testimonies,” Moody Monthly, Nov. 1975, p. 124.) <ref>[http://www.guidelines.org/commentaries/atheism-and-the-despair-of-hope/#sthash.deoxNoqK.dpuf Atheism and the despair of hope]</ref>}}

==Fringe groups==

===Fringe groups===

Certain fringe groups, such as Scientology, hold that the universe is static, and will never change.<ref name="scientology" /> Specifically, it states that all consciousness will follow the same pattern of birth and rebirth, forever.

Certain fringe groups, such as Scientology, hold that the universe is static, and will never change.<ref name="scientology" /> Specifically, it states that all consciousness will follow the same pattern of birth and rebirth, forever.