Dark energy is a puzzling property in deep space which is believed to have played a pivotal role in the Big Bang. Assuming that the standard model of cosmology is correct, the best current measurements indicate that dark energy contributes to 68% of the total energy in the universe. However, the same force that helped create Earth, could also mark its end, it has been revealed.
Ms Thaller, an astronomer who studies binary stars and their life cycles, says dark energy is causing the universe to expand.
She revealed to BigThink earlier this week: “We don’t know what the future holds when it comes to the expansion force of the universe.
“Recently, we have measured that the universe is not only expanding but it is also accelerating.
“In some way that force is getting stronger and stronger.
“We don’t know whether that will stop, stay constant, or get constant.”
However, Ms Thaller, who studied at Harvard University, detailed how NASA has theorised an effect known as the “Big Rip” which could be catastrophic to human life.
She added: “There may be a day this expansion force is so strong our galaxy starts to pull apart.
“The sun and the Earth could be pulled away from each other and it could be strong enough to pull apart your atoms and make you disappear.
“We call this idea the Big Rip and it could be the end of the universe.
“We don’t know when this will happen and we have a lot of investigating to do into dark energy.”
It is not the first time the 49-year-old has spilt the beans on a future destructive event, though.
Earlier today it was revealed how distant galaxy Andromeda could collide with the Milky Way in 4.5 billion years, due to gravitational force being stronger than dark energy.
She said: “Andromeda is different, as it is close enough to the Milky Way for the gravity between the two to pull them together.
“Yes space is expanding, but gravity is pulling us towards Andromeda.
“Andromeda will collide with the Milky Way in around 4.5 billion years.
“We see this all over the universe – there are clusters where the galaxies are close enough together that they merge and collide.”