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Universe Closer To Heat Death Than Once Thought

Posted by Soulskill on from the we're-doomed dept.

TapeCutter writes "In a paper soon to be published (PDF) in the Astrophysical Journal, Australian researchers have estimated the entropy of the universe is about 30 times higher than previous estimates. According to their research, super-massive black holes 'are the largest contributor to the entropy of the observable universe, contributing at least an order of magnitude more entropy than previously estimated.' For those of us who like their science in the form of a car analogy, Dr. Lineweaver compared their results to a car's gas tank. He states, 'It's a bit like looking at your gas gauge and saying "I thought I had half a gas tank, but I only have a quarter of a tank."'" Fortunately, that quarter of a tank will still get us as far as we need to go and then some.

9 of 237 comments (clear)

  1. OMG!!! by click2005 · · Score: 5, Funny

    So as well as peak oil now we have to worry about peak universe?

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    1. Re:OMG!!! by Penguinisto · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...don't worry, the free market will save the universe (by making it so damned expensive to live here that corporations will arise and find us other universes to exploit, naturally...)

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    2. Re:OMG!!! by Drethon · · Score: 5, Funny

      Peak universe happened at the big bang, its all been down hill from there... reminds me of a marriage.

  2. Entropy increasing, Slashdot-style by Angst+Badger · · Score: 4, Funny

    So how much entropy does the fact that this story is a duplicate add to the universe?

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  3. Does it bother anyone else by plover · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it bother anyone else that a guy named "Lineweaver" is making a car analogy that doesn't involve alcohol?

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  4. "Fortunately"?! by brian0918 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Fortunately, that quarter of a tank will still get us as far as we need to go and then some.

    Yes, fortunately for us, maybe... but what about our children's children's children's ... (* 10^80) children? Won't someone please think of them?!?!

  5. Oh noes! by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    You mean we may never make it to:

    - seeing a computer which can run Crysis?
    - Duke Nukem: Forever release date?
    - Hurd 1.0?
    - kdawson leaving a story alone and publishing something accurate?

    :-O

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  6. Re:As far as we need to go? by joss · · Score: 4, Funny

    to the grave

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  7. Re:As far as we need to go? by ThePlague · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, of course.