Luckily for us, scientists studying a phenomenon called 'spacetime decay' feel that this is highly unlikely. However, the opportunity is interesting enough to explore 'bubbles of nothing' in spacetime.
In a new article, physicists argue that extradimensional holes, known as 'bubbles of nothing', could cause the universe to consume itself from the inside.
Three researchers from the University of Oviedo in Spain and the University of Uppsala in Sweden submitted an article in the Journal of High Energy Physics this month, entitled Nothing Matters, about a hypothetical hole in space-time that could destroy the entire universe.
The article is based on the theory of theoretical physicist Edward Witten, dated 1982.
“A hole spontaneously forms in space and quickly expands to infinity, absorbing everything that may occur,” Witten wrote in his article.
Physicists have long argued that most of our universe consists of emptiness. Anything in a more 'excited' or unstable state tends to decay to lower energy states, releasing energy. This means that our universe is relatively stable.
But now scientists are questioning this conclusion, suggesting that the universe is experiencing a 'false vacuum' and has not truly moved into its least excited and most stable state. The result: a 'bubble of nothing' that can 'eat up' all spacetime, turning it into 'nothing,' said Marjorie Schillo, lead author at Uppsala University.
While others have argued that such an event is impossible because it has already happened, the theory can help us understand the creation of the universe.
Sources: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/939g5p/physicists-are-studying-mysterious-bubbles-of-nothing-that-eat-spacetime
