Ken Olum - Will the Universe Ever End?

What does it mean to ask about the end of the universe? Can the universe even have an end? What would end? In the far, far future, what happens to stars, galaxies, and black holes? What about mass and energy, even space and time? What’s the ‘Big Crunch’ and the ‘Big Rip’? And what if there are multiple universes, will the multiverse ever end?

Ken Olum is a Research Professor in the Institute of Cosmology at Tufts University, where he has worked since 1997. He is a member of the NANOGrav collaboration, which searches for low-frequency gravitational waves via precision timing of pulsars.

Closer To Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[mrandersson]

One of the best interviews. Clear and to the point.

[darkstatehk]

One thing is certain, if the universe contracts into a bubble, Wesley Crusher will be there to solve it.

[meklitnew]

I didn’t expect a definitive answer. I came to hear brilliant minds ponder about deep questions and I wasn’t disappointed. Thanks 🙏

[tedgrant]

It depends what one means by the word "universe".
I could define it as all the positive integers.
They will always exist.

[vincewatkins]

“Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends.”

[ResmithSR]

The most consequential things in Nature are totally out of human control. We have just a limited degree of control over our lives which in the grand scheme of things is extremely short and fleeting.

[benjaminbrown]

Came here out of interest and to have my brain melted . Was no disappointed, would recommend .

[ThWatch]

It's a coincidence that his name 'Olum' means "death, " "end, " "great divide, " or "last". Perhaps, him explaining "the end" is fitting 😂

[jeremymr]

Stars in the sky
Shining like they'd always be
Shining down on me
That's what I thought it'd be

When do they end? I don't know
Everything ends, I know
You'd think the stars would burn on forever
Why does it end?
Why does it end?

- The Flaming Lips (the stripped-down "iTunes Original" version of this song is my fave)

[Prop]

Please do something about the sound recording. In many videos of this channel this is not oke.

[kevinlemon]

It can't end because it never really began . It's cyclic .

[krom]

We won’t be around so what does it matter.

[mickeybrumfield]

It seems highly likely there are many things we don't know nothing about now that will factor into what happens to us. Looking back, it was that way in the past, and one can't help but believe it will be that way in the future.

[bryanshort]

I wanna get high and talk to this dude all day about the universe 😂

[ResmithSR]

When I die my World or Universe will end and the rest is pure speculation. Knowledge of how and if the Universe ends is inconsequential.

[TorzJohnson]

This is fascinating food for thought, but while watching this it dawned on me that these brilliant observations are coming from two apes communicating.

[maestro]

Stars don’t fade out. They EVOLVE AND EVOLVE. As life grows the matter needed to keep them fuelled

[bryanshort]

It will end it complete darkness one day. Crazy to think about, wonder if it will restart after the darkness

[kimsahl]

Nature is alternating with no start or ending, but every alternating element have both start and ending.

[bringyourownsnake]

This is the first presentation that left me feeling as the universe might not ever truly end & for some nonsensical reason I'm giddy.