Universe may grow forever

A "galactic lens" has revealed that the Universe will probably expand forever.

The huge galactic cluster known as Abell 1689 acted as a cosmic magnifying glass

Astronomers used the way that light from distant stars was distorted by a huge galactic cluster known as Abell 1689 to work out the amount of dark energy in the cosmos.

Dark energy is a mysterious force that speeds up the expansion of the Universe.

Knowing the distribution of dark energy

tells astronomers that the Universe will continue to get bigger indefinitely.Eventually it will become a cold, dead wasteland with a temperature approaching what scientists term "absolute zero"

source: bbc.co.uk