Ray said:
If the gravitational attraction of all the matter within the observable horizon were high enough, the expansion of the universe would slow, and then reverse. The universe would then contract, with about the same duration as the expansion. Eventually, all matter and energy would be compressed back into a gravitational singularity. It is meaningless to ask what would happen after this, because time, as we know it, would end in this singularity.
However, recent experimental evidence (namely the observation of distant supernova as standard candles, and the well-resolved mapping of the cosmic microwave background) has—to considerable surprise—shown that the expansion of the universe is not being slowed down by gravity, but instead, accelerating, suggesting that the universe will not end with a Big Crunch, but will instead expand forever, though some scientists have contested this theory.
I've read that argument be4.
Did you know that its still not as evident as to account for the matter in the universe..i.e., the observable matter is far less than the expected mass of the universe as extrapolated from the big bang by the background radiation, wherein comes in the paradoxical postulation of the so called "dark matter"
The "big crunch" is ruled out by the Hubble's laws and related observations.
However that is just a figament of the as yet known physics.
As we develop a more sound theory, we will soon find out that super symmetry plays a role even in the large scale universe.
Let the Grand Unified Theory come first, we'll talk then.
Its just the beginning, as the oracle said, we cant see past the choices we don't understand.
The big bang too is not a perfect theory, mind you, but a hypothesis which is somewhat conclusive with observations. Hence the bizarre conclusions.
If you have read Feynman, you'll know that rules in the ordinary circumstances go berserk in extreme conditions like singularities.
Yet singularities are observed in nature.
When we can observe background radiation due to time diatation and then there is Cerenkov radiation which is a miracle in itself, we know there is more to everything we know and a loads we don't know $hit.
As a repartee, lets not argue about things we don't know by drawing conclusions from unproven facts.
May you all be driven by the pursuit of the whole truth and forget quarrelling over the mundane.