Welcome to the multiverse

1 Big Crunch

Universes that fall back on themselves end in a similar state to the Big Bang. Cosmologists speculate that this kind of

‘Big Crunch’ could give rise to another universe in turn.

2 Big Bang

Universes begin with a Big Bang, which may be triggered by a chance fluctuation in the quantum foam, or a collision between branes.

3 Closed universe

Development of an individual universe is determined by fundamental properties such as the strength of gravity and the amount of matter contained within it.

4 Raw material

The background fabric of the multiverse would be beyond time and space, perhaps in the form of manydimensional ‘branes’, or as an all-pervading ‘quantum foam’.

5 Short lived

Some universes may be so massive that the expanding force of dark energy is never able to take hold, so they collapse back onto themselves, ending in a

‘Big Crunch’.

6 Perpetual expansion

In our universe, an expansive force called dark energy seems to have grown stronger over time, overwhelming the attraction of gravity to produce an evergrowing cosmos.

7 Perpetual slowdown

If the forces of expansion and contraction are precisely balanced, a universe may expand ever more slowly, but will never come to a halt.

8 Long-lived universe

With less matter and mass, a universe might be able to expand to a huge size and exist for trillions of years before eventually collapsing back.