Flooring the cosmic accelerator

New measure of dark energy suggests ‘Big Rip’ for universe

BALTIMORE — Let ’er rip!

TORN ASUNDER In some 60 billion years, according to the Big Rip model, the entire universe, down to the smallest atom, will be torn apart by a proposed form of dark energy that grows stronger with time. NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage, STScI/AURA, T.