If you think of the universe as a still place, think again. It moves, stretches, and grows, actually, it expands every second of every day. But what does this mean to us? The universe is enormous; we don’t have the means to measure it. The universe is much larger than what we can see. But as surprising as it sounds, it even had a beginning.
How was the Universe created?
The universe originated from the Big Bang. This occurred approximately 13.8 billion years ago. Before that, nothing. No space, no time, no matter. Then, everything appeared and started to ‘spread out’.
Although it sounds like an explosion we are all used to, it was not one. Rather, space itself was beginning to grow.
Read more: Cosmology Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
The universe is expanding
Since the Big Bang, the universe has been expanding continuously. In the 1920s, an astronomer discovered that most distant galaxies were moving away from us.
This was Hubble’s observation of how the universe is expanding. Space is expanding just like a rubber band.
What does expanding mean?
When we blow air into a balloon, it expands. At the same time, the dots on its surface spread apart. In the same way, galaxies expand apart.
However, the galaxies aren’t moving away on their own. Instead, the space between them expands, which makes them drift apart. The galaxies remain constant in their positions, while the space around them stretches.
Is Earth Expanding Too?
You might be asking – when space expands then surely Earth extends too? The answer is no. Space expands only on large scales. Gravity binds the Earth, our solar system, and even our galaxy, tightly together.
So, expansion doesn’t matter in our daily life. We don’t drift away from the Moon or the Sun, but the furthest galaxies are moving away.
Dark energy: An unknown force
In the 1990s, scientists made an astonishing discovery. They found that the universe was not just expanding, but accelerating. Some force must be pushing the universe to expand ever faster.
That unknown force is called dark energy. We don’t know what dark energy is yet, but we do know that it exists. It is about 70% of the universe.
Why does the Expanding Universe matter?
You might be saying, “So what?” But it matters a lot. The expanding universe helps scientists understand the past and predict the future. An expanding universe tells us that the universe once was small and hot and that it may expand forever.
If the Universe expands for eternity, it is possible for galaxies to move so far away, we won’t see them at all. Stars will die, and the Universe could change into a cold, dark wasteland – this future is called the “Heat Death” or “Big Freeze.”
Will the Universe Ever Stop Expanding?
We do not know. If the dark energy is strong, then the Universe will continue forever – If it weakens, then it may slow down – It may even stop and start to shrink again, that ending could be called “The Big Crunch.”
Right now, indicators suggest perpetual expansion – however, science constantly changes as we learn more.
Conclusion: We are a Part of Something Big
This thought is not merely for scientists. The existence of a universe constantly expanding, as we are expanding too. Every star, galaxy, and atom – everything – comes from the same initial spot. Although we live on a small planet, we are part of a massive, expanding journey that is still (and will always be) being written.
