- #1
avant-garde
- 195
- 0
What do you think? Do you think technology can keep the universe running forever?
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the sustainability of the universe's energy and the implications of the heat-death scenario. Participants explore whether technology can prolong the universe's existence and the consequences of entropy on energy usability.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Exploratory
Main Points Raised
- Some participants argue that the universe cannot run out of energy or mass, as these quantities can only be transformed, not destroyed.
- Others suggest that while energy remains, the heat-death scenario indicates that it becomes disorganized and unusable for work.
- A participant questions whether subjective experiences of time could be manipulated to make the universe feel eternal.
- Concerns are raised about the relevance of future cosmic events, such as the sun's life cycle and potential replacements by other stars.
- One participant emphasizes the vast time scales involved, noting that significant cosmic changes occur over billions of years, far beyond human generational timelines.
- Another participant mentions the uncertainty surrounding the amount of matter in the universe and its implications for cosmic expansion.
- A light-hearted suggestion is made about investing in renewable energy to combat heat death, reflecting a mix of humor and concern.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express a range of views, with no consensus on the sustainability of the universe or the implications of heat death. Disagreements exist regarding the relevance of future cosmic events and the interpretation of time scales.
Contextual Notes
Participants highlight limitations in understanding the universe's future, such as the unknown quantities of dark matter and the long time frames involved in cosmic processes.
- #2
Sakha
- 297
- 0
Universe can't run out of energy, neither of mass. The Mass and energy can't be destroyed, just transformed.
- #3
avant-garde
- 195
- 0
Well, I meant, can we sustain the universe forever? Apparently the heat-death scenario says no.
- #4
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,873
- 11,325
Can we? Certainly no.
- #5
Dale
Mentor
- 36,793
- 15,755
Heat death doesn't mean that there is any less energy than today. It simply means that the energy is all disorganized (entropy) and cannot be used to do any useful work.
- #6
avant-garde
- 195
- 0
If we can't make the universe last forever, is there a way to slow down time to make it seem like it lasts forever subjectively?
- #7
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,873
- 11,325
Well, it's already going to last so long, it'll feel like forever.
- #8
flame_m13
- 31
- 0
good point.
- #9
madmike159
Gold Member
- 369
- 0
Basically we would have to break the second law of thermodynamics. But why worry about that now? We don't have any where to go when the sun dies so it really doesn't matter.
- #10
pepsi1
- 1
- 0
Good point but what's to say another star of greater proportions won't take its place? Heck this is still so far away that your great, great, great, great grand children might witness this and by then there could be two suns. Check star patterns and the possibility is more likely then not. What is your theory? Another possible ice age? I think this is just more hum drum what if BS show your theory or any kind of solid facts. I hate the chicken running around going the sky is falling! SORRY!
- #11
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,873
- 11,325
I don't think you guys are grasping the time scales here. Ice ages happen on the order of every 100,000 years. The sun will live about another 5,000,000,000 years. That's not 7 generations of your offspring, but 160,000,000. Heat death is on the order of 10^100 years.
And no, another star won't replace our sun. They don't just appear out of nowhere.
And no, another star won't replace our sun. They don't just appear out of nowhere.
- #12
madmike159
Gold Member
- 369
- 0
Also for another star to reform out of the remains of a supernova would take so long that everything on Earth would have died any way. Also we do notknow how much matter (dark matter etc) is in the universe so we don't know if it will expand for ever.
- #13
vanesch
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
- 5,115
- 20
We urgently need to invest in renewable energy, to save the universe from heat death !
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