Watching galaxies around the Milky Way, astronomers saw the universe is slowly dying. Its stars shine weaker and just 2 billion years have doubled dimmer.
Our universe is slowly dying, and the process of decay, though slow, yet can be seen by modern means of observation. Such conclusion was an international group of astronomers, for the first time in the world to measure the energy of 200 thousand. Galaxies with unprecedented accuracy.
Scientists from the International Center of radio astronomy research at the University of Western Australia (ICRAR) used seven of the world’s most powerful telescopes to explore the galaxy in 21 wavelengths, from ultraviolet to infrared.
Initially observations were carried out on Anglo Australian Telescope in New South Wales, and then joined to the two orbital observatory NASA and the European Space Agency.
«We used the telescope as much as they could get to measure the energy of more than 200 thousand. galaxies in the widest possible range of wavelengths, “- said Professor Simon Driver ICRAR eve to report on progress to the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union, which is taking place these days in Hawaii.
The work on the study of 200 thousand. galaxies was conducted within the project Galaxy and Mass Assembly. This all-wave project aims to provide answers to cosmological questions, and to explore the processes of formation and evolution of galaxies using several ground and space telescopes. The most famous among them are the telescopes VLT, as well as space and Herschel Galex.
According to the drivers, the aim of the work of astronomers was to build maps and modeling of all the energy within a certain volume of the universe.
According to modern ideas, all the energy that the universe has been created in the Big Bang, and part of it is concentrated today in the mass of substance. We know that the stars shine by thermonuclear conversion of mass into energy – a process described by Einstein’s famous equation E = mc 2 .
«Although most of the energy observed around, was created after the Big Bang, the additional energy always stands by in the stars as they merge elements such as hydrogen and helium, – said driver. – This newly released energy is either absorbed by cosmic dust, or passes through the parent galaxy, or escapes into intergalactic space and extends until it hits on its way another star, or planet, which happens very rarely, a mirror of the telescope. ”
Analysis of the data showed that the energy of galaxies today is only half the pace that was 2 billion years ago, that is, the universe is slowly dying, astronomers say.
It is noteworthy that to original article , accepted for publication in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the word “death” or “dying” does not appear even once, like art the reception was made in the release to attract attention.
«We found out that at present the universe produces 1.5 x 10 35 billion watts per cubic parsec in comparison with 2.5 * 10 35 billion watts of 2.3 billion years ago, “- stated in the article.
On the extinction of the universe, scientists say the end of the 1990s, but only recent work has shown that this process occurs in all wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared. “From that moment the universe will fade, falling into old age, which lasts forever. Universe collapsed on the couch, pulled the rug and ready to doze off in eternal sleep, “- said Professor Driver.
After its discovery, scientists intend to expand their research to chart the energy throughout the history of the universe. To do this, they use the latest, comes into operation telescopes, including radio interferometer Square Kilometre Array, whose commissioning is scheduled for the next decade in South Africa. 
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