An international collaboration reveals when the Big Crunch could occur in the cosmos

For decades, scientists have debated what fate awaits the cosmos. Some theories suggest a never-ending expansion. Others hint at a cold, lifeless freeze. But now, a bold new study proposes a very different scenario: the universe might not only stop expanding — it could eventually collapse in on itself.

Even more astonishing? Experts believe they can now predict when that process will begin.

A new theory about the universe’s final act

In a groundbreaking study titled ‘The Lifespan of our Universe’, an international team of physicists has proposed that the universe will begin contracting in approximately 7 billion years. Their work suggests a slow but inevitable reversal of the Big Bang — a process that will culminate in an event known as the Big Crunch.

The study — published on the scientific platform arXiv — was led by researchers from Cornell University in New York, with contributions from Spain’s International Center for Physics in Donostia and the Tsung-Dao Lee Institute at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

According to their calculations, the universe will eventually collapse into a single, dense point in space-time — a singularity — much like the one that sparked the Big Bang nearly 13.8 billion years ago. That collapse, they argue, will complete a full cycle of expansion and contraction lasting 33 billion years.

What is the Big Crunch — and how is it connected to the Big Bang?

The Big Crunch is the theoretical opposite of the Big Bang — the moment when all matter and energy burst forth from an ultra-dense point, launching the universe as we know it.

In this new model, the expansion of the universe doesn’t go on forever. Instead, at a certain point, the mysterious force known as dark energy — which currently makes up around 68% of the universe’s total mass-energy — would reverse its effects.

Right now, dark energy causes galaxies to drift apart at accelerating speeds. But in the future, researchers suggest, that expansion may slow down and reverse, pulling galaxies back toward a central point.

Eventually, gravity would take over, pulling everything in the cosmos inward until nothing remains but a singularity — setting the stage for a possible new Big Bang in the distant future.

When will the collapse begin?

If these new estimates are correct, the contraction phase will start in about 7 billion years — when the universe reaches an age of 20 billion years. The entire process, from start to finish, would span 33 billion years — making the cosmos a kind of giant cosmic heartbeat.

It’s a staggering timeline, but still one rooted in physics — not science fiction.

Could Earth even survive that long?

Here’s the catch: none of this matters if Earth doesn’t make it that far.

Before the universe ever begins to contract, our own sun will run out of hydrogen, transforming into a red giant. When that happens — in about 5 billion years — Earth will likely be engulfed by the dying star or hurled out of the solar system entirely.

In other words, even if the universe collapses in a spectacular cosmic finale, we won’t be around to see it.

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