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Metro
13-05-2025
- Science
- Metro
Life and everything we know in the universe will end sooner than we thought
Scientists say they have figured out the universe's 'death date', when everything we see in the night sky will disappear forever. The universe is believed to have originated in a fiery burst 13.8billion years ago, splattering matter throughout space in a moment called the Big Bang. Dutch scientists believe they know exactly when the universe will die – and it's a lot sooner than they first thought. The universe will wind down in 10^78, or a one with 78 zeroes, years, according to a paper released yesterday. Written out, that's: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years. So, fairly far away. Still, this is sooner than the previous death date estimate of 10^1100 years. Researchers say this is how long it will take for the final white dwarf – dim, dying stars that flicker over hundreds of billions of years – to go out. Once these celestial embers extinguish, it's thought they'll become the rotting remains of stars called black dwarves that don't emit light. The remaining bits of the universe will go on sailing apart from one another, drifting in the void of space for billions of lonely, silent years. Heino Falcke, lead author on the new paper, said: 'The ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time.' However, it's not just white dwarves that will signal the 'end' of the universe. Other cosmic residents like black holes and neutron stars, the shrunken dense cores of stars that have exploded and died, are 'evaporating'. This decay is happening because of Hawking radiation, first proposed by Stephen Hawking in 1975. Hawking discovered that black holes aren't ever-growing blobs with gravity so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape them. Something does manage to flee, though. Hawking radiation, which takes with it part of the black hole's mass. Over aeons, as this radiation leaks, the black hole will fizzle out and explode, according to Hawking's calculations. By taking this radiation leakage into account, the research team from Radboud University Nijmegen estimates that black holes and neutron stars will 'evaporate' in 10^67 years. Death by Hawking radiation takes a long time. The researchers said it would take 10^90 years for a human and the Moon to evaporate, the paper published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics said. How the universe will end, if it all, is something that has kept scientists up at night for centuries. Cosmologists say that when matter was coughed out, it gradually developed structure in the forms of shining stars, gluttonous black holes and a little blue marble called Earth. Most of it has been drifting away from one another, a process called cosmic expansion. It has, however, been slowing down, probably because of the collective gravity of everything in the universe. Some physicists argue that the universe will keep expanding forever. This doesn't mean more cosmic real estate options, though. Galaxies would become so far apart that they might think they're the only things in the universe. Starved of energy, the now barren universe would become the same temperature – scientists called this the 'big freeze'. Other astronomers say the universe will eventually ping back inwards and vanish in a 'big crunch'. Or, the universe will keep expanding at such a breakneck pace that it will tear itself apart – the 'big rip' – leaving countless lonely particles to whizz around all day in a bunch of nothing. More Trending It's that or the comically sounding 'big slurp', which is anything but funny. The 'slurp' is a quantum glitch involving the Higgs particle – an eentsy-teensy-weensy particle that gives the universe mass. This fluctuation – which could occur at any second – would cause a bubble of vacuum that gobbles everything up. Life inside the bubble could be a completely new and exotic universe – or nothing at all, because everything has been destroyed. In other words, the end is coming, yes. But it's definitely too soon to start freaking out. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Huge chunk of Soviet rocket may have broken up over southern England MORE: Out-of-control Soviet spacecraft crashes back to Earth after 50 years MORE: Soviet spacecraft could be hours away from crashing back on Earth after 53 years
Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Terrifying ‘death date' of the universe moves much CLOSER as scientists reveal exactly when all the stars will go out
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OUR universe is set to end far sooner than we thought – so if you planned on living forever, there's bad news. Scientists have calculated a possible "death date" for our universe, revealing how long it will take for all stars to decay. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 This is an artistic impression of a neutron star "evaporating" slowly through Hawking-like radiation – and they mean very slowly Credit: Daniëlle Futselaar/ 5 The universe is brimming with galaxies packed with stars – but one day, they'll all go out Credit: NASA Thankfully this terrifying dead universe is so far in the future that you won't have to cancel any plans. The prediction is 10 to the power of 78 years away – or a one followed by 78 zeroes. Written out, that looks like: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years. That's a lot of candles for the universe's final birthday cake. This "end" is due to take place through an "evaporation"-like process where objects in the universe ultimately decay. This is through a process similar to something called Hawking radiation, which is where black holes decay over time. And through a series of calculations, scientists were able to show how long it might take for other objects to decay too. "The researchers calculated that the end of the universe is about 10^78 years away (a 1 with 78 zeros), if only Hawking-like radiation is taken into account," Radboud University Nijmegen noted. "This is the time it takes for white dwarf stars, the most persistent celestial bodies, to decay via Hawking-like radiation." Previous studies that have examined the end of the universe didn't take this effect into account. Terrifying Nasa simulation lets you 'plunge' into black hole to 'point of no return' that would rip your body apart So the earlier estimation showed the lifetime of white dwarfs as 10 to the power of 1,100 years – or a one followed by 1,100 zeroes. That's far longer than the latest estimate, although both numbers are incomprehensibly large that it's unlikely to affect humans. "So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected," said study lead author Heino Falcke. "But fortunately it still takes a very long time." 5 Scientists were able to calculate how long it would take a white dwarf to decay Credit: Getty HAWKING RADIATION Hawking radiation is named after famed English theoretical physicist and Cambridge professor Stephen Hawking. In the 1970s, Hawking suggested that radiation could escape from a black hole. "At the edge of a black hole, two temporary particles can form, and before they merge, one particle is sucked into the black hole and the other particle escapes," the Radboud University Nijmegen explained. "One of the consequences of this so-called Hawking radiation is that a black hole very slowly decays into particles and radiation. 5 Cambridge scientist Stephen Hawking famously suggested that radiation could escape from a black hole Credit: Getty What is a black hole? The key facts Here's what you need to know... A black hole is a region of space where absolutely nothing can escape That's because they have extremely strong gravitational effects, which means once something goes into a black hole, it can't come back out They get their name because even light can't escape once it's been sucked in – which is why a black hole is dark What is an event horizon? The point at which you can no longer escape from a black hole's gravitational pull is called the event horizon The event horizon varies between different black holes, depending on their mass and size What is a singularity? The gravitational singularity is the very centre of a black hole It's a one-dimensional point that contains an incredibly large mass in an infinitely small space At the singularity, space-time curves infinitely, and the gravitational pull is infinitely strong Conventional laws of physics stop applying at this point How are black holes created? Most black holes are made when a supergiant star dies This happens when stars run out of fuel – like hydrogen – to burn, causing the star to collapse When this happens, gravity pulls the center of the star inwards quickly and collapses into a tiny ball Part of the star collapses inward thanks to gravity, and the rest of the star explodes outwards The remaining central ball is extremely dense, and if it's especially dense, you get a black hole 5 This image captured by the Event Horizon Telescope shows a black hole at the centre of galaxy M87 Credit: Getty "This contradicts Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, which says that black holes can only grow." Scientists working on this new study calculated that this "evaporation" process can also apply to other objects with a gravitational field – not just black holes. They also checked to see how long it would take the Moon and a human to decay in this way. And it turns out that it would take us 10 to the power of 90 years (or one with 90 zeroes) to disappear. But there are lots of other reasons why the Moon and humans won't make it anywhere close to that distant time.
Fashion United
25-04-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
From one, to multiple fashion systems: Concrete steps for fashion entrepreneurs
Traditionally, fashion companies designed and sold their clothing in their own country, but produced it in low-wage countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia or Myanmar. This way of working has existed since the 1960s and became especially popular in the 1990s. The goal was to produce as cheaply as possible. The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh on April 24, 2013, considered the deadliest disaster in the fashion industry, made it clear that outsourcing is not just about cost efficiency. This way of working is not only about cost efficiency, but also obscures problems – such as poor working conditions. The industrial fashion system is based on outsourcing with overproduction as standard. In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, this seemed to change for a moment. Designers and leaders in the sector signed an open letter to change the way things were done. The fashion industry seemed to be seriously questioning the fashion system. However, this phase, characterised by smaller fashion calendars and less superfluous production, was short-lived. Yet system change is possible, according to cultural scientist Daniëlle Bruggeman. FashionUnited spoke to Bruggeman about responsible fashion entrepreneurship. On March 20, 2025, she gave her oration at Radboud University Nijmegen, entitled Stitches of Care: Practising Solidarity through Fashion, after her appointment as professor of Fashion and Sustainability in April 2024. Together with ArtEZ University of the Arts and Radboud University, she is investigating the possibilities of approaching fashion and sustainability from both art and science. According to Bruggeman, entrepreneurs in the sector can already contribute to a more sustainable fashion system in the short term. What do you hope fashion entrepreneurs take away from your inaugural address Stitches of Care – Practising Solidarity Through Fashion? 'I advocate no longer seeing fashion as one dominant system, but in terms of multiple, coexisting fashion systems. This plurality—or, as I often say, multiple coexisting fashion systems - points to the multitude of ways of making and wearing clothing. In the West, especially in the Netherlands, we mainly view fashion as an industry of production and consumption. But fashion and clothing is much more: it is social and cultural.' 'Fashion is also a system of symbolic production - it creates meanings, values and ideals of beauty. Every day we are confronted with advertising, trends and commercial incentives. This influences how we look and what is considered beautiful.' 'The dominant fashion system is also deeply intertwined with financial interests. There is an enormous amount of money involved in the production and consumption of clothing. That also influences how we think about sustainability. When we talk about sustainability, we often talk about optimising the existing system. I try to show that there are other possibilities as well.' A 'user-oriented approach' instead of 'consumer-oriented' would be more sustainable. What do you mean by that? 'People are often called 'consumers'. That maintains a system in which fashion is all about buying. I prefer to speak of 'wearer' or 'user'. That opens up space for other ways of interacting with clothing—such as borrowing, exchanging or repairing. Sustainability often still revolves around selling new products. But as an entrepreneur, also think about what happens after the sale. What does the wearer do with a garment? Can he or she have it repaired by you? That phase after the purchase is just as important. It requires a different business model, in which care is central.' How can an entrepreneur within the traditional fashion system practically start with this transition to a more responsible approach? 'You don't have to change everything immediately. Start small. For example, join initiatives that explore other forms of entrepreneurship. Delve into materials and look at your production. What fabrics do you use? Where do they come from? Are the makers paid fairly? We are moving towards extended producer responsibility. As a brand, you have to look at the entire chain: from raw material to waste.' According to cultural scientist Daniëlle Bruggeman, entrepreneurs in the sector can already contribute to a more diverse and sustainable fashion system in the short term. Are there inspiring examples of fashion companies that are operating more responsibly? 'For example, Dutch fashion designer Joline Jolink works and produces locally and is involved in the entire process – from seed to garment. Annemieke Koster, founder of Enschede Textielstad, also produces locally, demand-driven, and sustainably. Sanne van den Dungen focuses on the fair development of regenerative cotton with Raddis Cotton in close cooperation with small-scale indigenous farming families in India.' 'In addition, there are initiatives such as the Repair Society that show that there are indeed alternatives to the traditional linear fashion system. Fibershed is also inspiring: they build networks of farmers, processors and designers to set up natural, local textile chains. These types of initiatives show that you can consciously opt for materials and production methods that have a positive impact on the soil and the living environment.' You talk about a cultural change that is needed for a new, more sustainable fashion system. In your opinion, what is the most urgent change that we must achieve in the sector within five years? 'Cultural change remains a challenge. But I believe that change starts with collaboration. We (ArtEZ University of the Arts, ed.) are co-founder of the NewTexEco (New Textile Ecosystems) consortium, in which companies, colleges and universities work together on practice-oriented research. Think of themes such as transparency, circular design, material innovation, user behaviour, new narratives and recycling. It is important that companies bring in their questions, so that together we can develop knowledge that can be applied directly.' Are there more of such initiatives that you are working on? 'Yes, we are also starting a new project on Care & Repair, together with ClickNL, and including MilieuCentraal, the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, designers and retailers. In it, we explore what care and repair of clothing can mean for every player in the chain—from producer to user. These types of collaborations are encouraging. You see that companies are willing to take steps, even if it is sometimes with small groups. But that can spread quickly.' In your new role as special professor, you will have the opportunity to connect art and science with sustainable fashion. What scientific issues are you concerned with? 'I am fascinated by the daily use of clothing. Not only how people buy, but especially how they wear, store and dispose of clothing. We call that wardrobe studies. What does your wardrobe look like? What do you wear often, what is left behind? Why do you keep something for 10 years, while you throw something else away after one season? The National Clothing Cupboard Audit, an initiative by Mirella Soyer from the Hogeschool Rotterdam, is a good example that helps to make this clear.' 'For a long time it was thought that the emotional value of clothing is important for sustainability. The theory is: if you have an emotional bond with clothing, you take better care of it and throw it away less quickly. But research, for example by Irene Maldini, shows that people who attach a lot of emotional value to clothing also often have larger wardrobes—and therefore own more clothing. Then the question is: What is really sustainable behaviour?' What does that mean for companies? 'It means that we must not only focus on alternative business models, but also on behaviour change. How can we support consumers in making more sustainable choices? Renting, lending, repairing—they are all good options. But we must also take a critical look at the effects on total behaviour. That is complex, and that is why design, science and industry really need to join forces." This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
