These may be the last explosions before the universe goes dark

[EuphoricVibez 9]

The final chapter in the history of the universe is expected to be rather bleak. Physicists believe that countless billions of years from now, after all the stars have burned out, the universe will be a cold, dark expanse where nothing of interest happens, or even could happen. As space itself expands, and matter is stretched thin, less and less energy is available. Over the eons, the universe simply runs down in a scenario known as heat death.

But before the lights go out for good, there could be one last display of fireworks. Astronomers believe that compact stars known as white dwarfs will be among the last remaining objects to persist in an aging universe. Now, a paper accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society finds that these stars can continue to undergo nuclear fusion at a mind-bogglingly slow rate, leading eventually to supernova-like blasts.

The idea of exploding white dwarfs comes as something of a surprise, as scientists generally think of these burned-out stars “as just cooling off forever,” says Abigail Polin, an astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology and the Carnegie Observatories who was not involved in the study.

Based on the new model, the first of these white dwarf explosions isn’t due for at least 101100 years. That’s a 1 followed by 1,100 zeros—a number so big that we don’t have a name for it. “If you write it out, it’s just a whole page of zeros,” says study author Matt Caplan, an astrophysicist at Illinois State University. (The universe’s current age is a measly 13.7 billion years.)

https://api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/science/2020/08/last-explosions-before-universe-goes-dark-white-dwarf-heat-death

[raragaga 8,119]

2 minutes ago, EuphoricVibez said:

a cold, dark expanse where nothing of interest happens, or even could happen.

i thought this was a description of trump's soul

[Pennywise 36,080]

2 minutes ago, EuphoricVibez said:

the universe will be a cold, dark expanse where nothing of interest happens, or even could happen

So just like my heart, I'm ready for that at least 

[RAMROD 117,011]

Future generations. Poor ha.

[PunkTheFunk 125,703]

4 minutes ago, EuphoricVibez said:

“If you write it out, it’s just a whole page of zeros,” says study author Matt Caplan

Me when someone asks me how many times Gaga promoted Chromatica

[Twitter 14]

Well it’s been real. 

[Danny Milk 1,732]

this makes me so depressed, i need to make sure i dont look at anything space related cuz my mind isn't built for that

[Perfume 8,828]

when everything has been said and done

no memories anymore just nothing at all 

[TerrenceV2 2,001]

This makes me want to quit my stressful job, live in an island, eat pizza and ice cream and just enjoy my short short life 

[littlepotter 76,610]

26 minutes ago, PunkTheFunk said:

Me when someone asks me how many times Gaga promoted Chromatica

i hat eyou

[Fish 6,259]

chromatica should have been called "white dwarf"

[petty 9,412]

[Louie 7,318]

Better take me to Chromatica 

[ChromaticRaccoon 1,761]

1 hour ago, EuphoricVibez said:

Physicists believe that countless billions of years from now, after all the stars have burned out, the universe will be a cold, dark expanse where nothing of interest happens, or even could happen.

UGH, why so far away? Got excited for nothing 

[Doot 2]

well thank you for that panic attack