Big Slurp

The Big Slurp is an Universe-ending scenario in which The Universe is currently existing in a false vaccuum and could become a true vaccuum at any moment. In order to best understand the false vacuum collapse theory, one must first understand the Higgs field which permeates the universe. Much like an electromagnetic field, it varies in strength-based upon its potential. A true vacuum exists so long as the universe exists in its lowest energy state, in which case the false vacuum theory is irrelevant. However, if the vacuum is not in its lowest energy state (a false vacuum), it could tunnel into a lower-energy state (via quantum tunneling). This is called vacuum decay. This has the potential to fundamentally alter our universe; in more audacious scenarios even the various physical constants could have different values, severely affecting the foundations of matter, energy, and spacetime. It is also possible that all structures will be destroyed instantaneously, without any forewarning.
== What is the Higgs Field? ==
Put simply, the Higgs Field gives objects their mass, and it is based on potential energy. The Higgs Boson has a sort of “Mexican Hat Shaped” potential energy curve, and if the universe were metastable it would be resting on one of the 2 troughs on the negative or positive side. You could picture it like a ball rolling down a hill, hitting a plateau. The ball may think it’s on the ground, or ‘stable’, but actually it is metastable, and could become stable at any point. If someone gives it a little push (like quantum tunneling), it would roll down the other hill, releasing a tremendous amount of potential energy as it hit the bottom. The impact causes the rest of the Higgs Field to start decaying, which creates a sphere of energy and pure death, expanding at the speed of light. Perhaps the ‘bubble’ could drastically changge the laws of physics insude, making life and chemistry impossible. And, since it goes at the speed of light, it could hit us at any moment, with no warnsgsjsnbwu
Ok, sorry. Thankfully, this is all theoretical, and may not be true. Please take this with a grain of salt. I read like half a wikipedia article. Don’t embarass yourself and tell your science friends this or they will probably laugh at you. Cya
Category:Event