How Will the Universe End? | Space Time
Summary
This episode explores the universe's ultimate fate, detailing the transition from the last star's death to the "black hole era" where only photons, leptons, and black holes remain. Hosts discuss how far-future civilizations might harness energy from decaying black holes or quantum tunneling to survive for eons before reaching maximum entropy. The discussion covers scenarios where protons decay or persist, leading to iron stars or neutron stars, before the universe finally cools into a diffuse void. The segment concludes with answers to listener questions regarding the electron's g-factor, t…
Topics discussed
Introduction: The universe's long dark future
Recap: From the death of stars to the degenerate age
Degenerate matter and the dissolution of galaxies
Proton decay and the onset of the black hole era
Black hole evaporation and the fate of dark matter
Scenario: If protons do not decay (Iron stars and tunneling)
Heat death and other extreme cosmic futures
Sponsors and recommendation for deep physics channel
Q&A: The electron's g-factor and QED
Q&A: Why electrons are considered point particles
Q&A: Fitting math to observations and virtual particles
Q&A: Lehman College shirt and financial firm joke
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