[Joe L. Ogan (OP)]

There is supposedly a new theory about the end of the Universe.  It is called the Big Rip Theory and one may read about in Google.  Thanks for your reply.  Joe L. Ogan

[Mr. Scientist]

There is supposedly a new theory about the end of the Universe.  It is called the Big Rip Theory and one may read about in Google.  Thanks for your reply.  Joe L. Ogan

Relatively new... quite a few years back it was noted that if star systems continue on their accelerated paths in the observable universe, spacetime can indeed become inherently stressed.

I believe this is what will happen unless some type 3 civilization happens to manage to alter the universes condition, and where it can inexorably end up. (These latter thoughts where inspired by Michio Kaku...) - scarely, we are a type zero civilization... almost like ants.

[Soul Surfer]

The big rip is an interesting extension of the suggestion that the expansion rate of the universe may now be increasing which in itself is an extension of the well accepted concept of an inflationary universe.  This leads to the possibility of a (relatively) quick demise for a universe unlike the standard indefinitely slow "heat death" that has always been the standard viewpoint  All of these ideas are no more than possibilities until we can fully establish the physical processes that could cause them to happen.  I can suggest processes for all of them but they do not currently form part of the mainstream physical concepts and are therefore not suitable for this forum.  I propose shortly to post some items under the heading  "new thinking on a route to a theory of everything" in the New Theories area of this website to cover these topics.  They will be an extended and improved version of my topic called "evolutionary cosmology"  in the same forum.