This is kind of WAY in the future but nevertheless:

[Sikz]

Eventually, assuming we survive that long, we will face the problem of the Universe's "big crunch" or "big freeze" (if you care to use those terms...). So what possible action could we take when we reach that point? I realize we aren't anywhere near the level of technology we would need to be at to actually do anything, but surely we can come up with some decent ideas. Can we somehow prevent it from occurring? If not (or if we don't want to), can we get through it in some way? What do you think, realisticly, we could do (at some point there will be billions of scientists crawling over this problem like crazy, let's get a head start :P)?

 

[selfAdjoint]

Current thought is the universe will end up as nothing but black holes. So we should explore ways to impose our intelligence on black holes.

 

[Sikz]

But what of the current theories that black holes eventually "dissipate"? Wouldn't these black holes continually be forming and "dissipating", so there would be many more than there are now but still a lot of other things? Also, if everything WAS black holes wouldn't they attract each other and become one big black hole, and curve all spacetime into a point of nothingness (essentially the "big crunch")?

But back to what you said, I soppose you mean to manually get rid of black holes or somehow block their effects.
1) Are there currently any theories on how to do either of these? If not theories, ideas of some form at the least?
2) Or would it be more effective to PREVENT all of those black holes from forming somehow, do you think?

Sorry for all the questions and the analysis-kind-of-thing (heh), trying to carry this into a very interesting discussion. :)

 

[hitssquad]

Originally posted by Sikz
Also, if everything WAS black holes wouldn't they attract each other and become one big black hole, and curve all spacetime into a point of nothingness (essentially the "big crunch")?

It was originally thought that the universe was going to eventually collapse back in on itself, but it was realized later that the universe's expansion is accelerating.

So, no, as far as physicists know right now, there is no danger of there ever being a big crunch.

Second, the ability to tear holes in space and time may come
in handy one day. Astronomers, analyzing light from distant supernovas,
have concluded recently that the universe may be accelerating, rather
than slowing down. If this is true, there may be an anti-gravity force
(perhaps Einstein's cosmological constant) which is counteracting the
gravitational attraction of distant galaxies. But this also means that the
universe might expand forever in a Big Chill, until temperatures approach
near-absolute zero. Several papers have recently laid out what such a
dismal universe may look like. It will be a pitiful sight: any civilization
which survives will be desperately huddled next to the dying embers of
fading neutron stars and black holes. All intelligent life must die when the
universe dies.

http://www.mkaku.org/articles/physics_of_alien_civs.shtml


-Chris

 

[Sikz]

Tear holes in space and time... To where? A wormhole is no good if the hole universe is screwed- you'd have to somehow get a hole leading to another universe, if you can't save the one you've got.

But do you think this would be accomplished by a powerful enough burst of energy, or what would you think the most likely way to do it?

Also, what ways might there be, if any, to actually save this universe rather than to simply escape?

 

[Entheos]

Sikz
Your post assumes a big crunch is going to happen, which is doubtful in my mind.

Has you read on the theory of Gravastars?

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/gravastars_020423.html