“For a long time scientists, including Albert Einstein, thought the Universe was static and infinite”
Thomas Kitching
Most space boffins believe the Earth will be swallowed in a burning inferno when the Sun collapses in the next two billion years.
But our planet is just one of trillions that will be consumed when the universe comes to an end.
While many scientists are still obsessed with studying the Big Bang, and the origins of the Milky Way and the galaxies beyond, many are predicting how all life will eventually end.
They have even estimated it could end anytime between 2.8 billion years and 22 billion years from now when the university expands to breaking point.
University College London astrophysics lecturer Thomas Kitching said: “For a long time scientists, including Albert Einstein, thought the Universe was static and infinite.
GETTY
APOCALYPSE: Experts warn a big freeze or colliding planets could trigger the end
1969 moon landings: are these images FAKED?
Conspiracy theorist have pored over these pictures from the moon landings and concocted all kinds of theories. Boffins have rebuffed these claims.
1 / 13
Getty Images
The deployment of scientific experiments by Astronaut Edwin Aldrin Jr is photographed by astronaut Neil Armstrong
“Observations have since shown it is in fact expanding, and at an accelerating rate.
“This means it must have originated from a more compact state that we call the Big Bang, implying that time does have a beginning and it will likely have an end.”
While boffins agree the universe is expanding, there are still different theories about how all life will end.
So, what are they?
GETTY
BLACK HOLE: The destructive forces tear apart parts of the universe
Last footsteps on the Moon: Stunning resurfaced images of Apollo 17
Incredible images of the last Apollo mission 17 back in 1972.
1 / 17
Mediadrumworld
Apollo 17 prepares for take-off on December 7 1972
GETTY
CRUNCH: Some boffins believe the universe can only stretch so far before it implodes
The Big Crunch
A popular theory is the so-called Big Crunch. Backers of the theory claim the universe will expand to a point where it eventually starts to pull back.
When this happens star, planets and asteroids will smash into each other as the space around them begins to collapse in on itself.
The Big Freeze
This theory proposes the laws that govern the universe, such as gravity, begin to turn into disorder as the expanding galaxies start to tear apart.
When it reaches its maximum limit all heat will be redistributed around the universe – leaving many inhabited planets without any warmth that can support life.
GETTY
BOFFIN: Stephen Hawking has said he would like to die by being thrown into a black hole
Caverns on the dark side of the moon: home to ALIENS?
The moon has a network of enormous caverns across its surface, believed to be lava tubes. NASA has stated that these could house the first ever lunar base, but could they be home to aliens?
1 / 14
NASA
‘Skylights’ to lava tubes reveal enormous caves, hundreds of meters wide
The Big Rip
Scientists believe that as the universe’s expansion becomes stronger than gravity it will literally begin to tear apart galaxies leaving behind huge black holes.
These holes will suck in everything around it and dump them into an unknown space that has yet to be discovered.
