Is Our Universe “Slowly Dying?”
Reports are stating that our universe is “slowly dying.” That phrase is a simplification for what is actually happening, which is that the energy produced in our universe today is only half of what it was 2 billion years ago and continually lessening.
It’s a fascinating concept to consider. When you look at around, either at the vibrant action of a city or the lush landscape of a rural scene, it’s hard to believe that there is any lack of energy or that our universe could be slowly dying. But this serves as a reminder that the way in which we perceive our world – through our sensory experiences – can be misleading as to the true nature of things. When you look at a skyscraper in that vibrant city or a tremendous oak tree it that rural scene, it is hard to grasp the concept that the skyscraper is one day closer to falling over and the tree is one day closer to death. These things would both appear so strong, so permanent and so unmovable. But the true nature of matter is that things are always changing. This isn’t a concept that should scare us. It is a fundamental fact of our lives.
These new reports make us consider this concept on a larger scale. We have to look beyond the skyscraper or the tree and see our universe in its entirety. If we do, it should come as no surprise that the universe is changing. However, the news about our universe “slowly dying” implies that it is somehow losing its vitality. When in reality, the loss of energy is simply the nature of our universe. Just as a human could be said to be dying from the minute he or she is born, our universe could be said to be doing the same. However, this doesn’t make a human any less of a wonder and it similarly should not make our universe and all its majesty any less amazing to behold. To say that the universe is “dying” is to miss the fact that our universe is simply being what it is and has always been – an ever-evolving wonderland of mass and energy.
