Age of the universe

In cosmology, the age of the universe is the amount of time since the Big Bang. The best measurement of the age of the Universe is 13.8 billion years (specifically, 13.798±0.037 billion years). The most recent and most accurate measurements were made by the Planck spacecraft. These measurements were made using the cosmic microwave background radiation and the expansion of the Universe.

History

In the 1800s, evidence from geology showed that the Earth was at least millions of years old. Later, it was thought that the universe was unchanging. However, in the 1920s, Georges Lemaître and Edwin Hubble determined that the universe was expanding (see Hubble's law). Although the estimates made using the initial data were low, radioactive dating on Earth could be used to give measurements of 11–20 billion years to 13–15 billion years. Eventually, scientists were able to make much better measurements using spacecraft.

Possible future

Essentially unknown, but there are various theories that explain the possible future of planet Earth. There are various scientific theories that explains how the Earth might end. Among of them, one of the most popular theories is that the Sun will eventually become a red giant and consume the Earth. However, there are other logical theories that explain how the Earth might end.

Age Of The Universe Media

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  The lookback time of extragalactic observations by their redshift up to z=20.

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  Relationship between redshift and age of the universe, from z=5 to 20.

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  The value of the age correction factor, ~F~, is shown as a function of two cosmological parameters: the current fractional matter density ~\Omega_\text{m}~ and cosmological constant density ~\Omega_\Lambda~. The best-fit values of these parameters are shown by the box in the upper left; the matter-dominated universe is shown by the star in the lower right.