Dhaka, Oct. 12 -- In a new study, physicists have proposed that the Universe could one day reverse its expansion and collapse in a dramatic event known as the "Big Crunch."

Researchers Hoang Nhan Luu of the Donostia International Physics Centre in Spain, Yu-Cheng Qiu of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, and Henry Tye of Cornell University in the United States say recent findings suggest that dark energy-the mysterious force driving the Universe's expansion-may be changing over time.

If their calculations are correct, the expansion of the Universe will stop in about 11 billion years, after which it will begin to contract and ultimately collapse under its own gravity. The study estimates the total lifespan of the Universe at around ...