6. Λ’s Role in the ‘Heat Death’ Scenario
A positive cosmological constant doesn’t just stave off collapse—it also shapes the universe’s long-term destiny.
If Λ remains nonzero, the cosmos will keep expanding indefinitely, with galaxies growing ever more distant.
Instead of a sudden end, the universe would experience a gradual decline in usable energy, leading to what scientists call ‘heat death’.
This scenario envisions a cold, dark cosmos where all activity ceases—a slow, stable fading rather than a violent cosmic finale.