<p>This is actually very well researched. Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_an_expanding_universe" rel="noreferrer">has quite a good summary</a>, stelliferous era ends after about $10^{14}$ years, assuming an expanding universe.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-24T17:16:11.133Z
For comparison, the heat death of the universe could be reached after 10^1000 years, and quantum fluctuations could create a new universe after 10^10^100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 years
James K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-24T19:47:25.257Z
Where do you get the quantum fluctuations claim ?  We do not, after all, have a reliable theory of universal creation (or even a quantum theory compatible with the extreme high energy densities of the early universe).
StephenG - Help Ukraine
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-24T22:38:53.287Z
@JamesK: you misunderstand. What you've quoted is the calculated **probability** of such a fluctuation. It's like you saying that if the odds of a 0 in roulette are 1/37, the 0 will only come up after 37 spins. It would be more accurate to say that the quantum fluctuation to create a new universe is likely to happen once within the predicted timeframe, noting that "once" could be tomorrow, or not at all within multiples of the timeframe. That's the nature of probability.
Chappo Hasn't Forgotten
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-25T07:02:21.123Z
Hence "could". The idea is speculative, but to be more precise, the probabilty of eternal inflation starting is 10^-10^10^56 as discussed in https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0410270.pdf
James K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-24T11:45:22.510Z
2017-03-24T11:45:22.510Z
Radovan Garabík
<p>Lord Kelvin's prediction of heat death indicates the eventual end to star formation in the observable universe. Have any astrophysicists made any predictions for the endurance of star formation in the observable universe? </p>

<star-formation><thermodynamics>
How long will star formation endure before the eventual heat death of the observable universe?
James Goetz
# How long will star formation endure before the eventual heat death of the observable universe?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-24)

Lord Kelvin's prediction of heat death indicates the eventual end to star formation in the observable universe. Have any astrophysicists made any predictions for the endurance of star formation in the observable universe?

**Tags:** star-formation, thermodynamics

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-03-24. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

This is actually very well researched. Wikipedia [has quite a good summary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_an_expanding_universe), stelliferous era ends after about $10^{14}$ years, assuming an expanding universe.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: For comparison, the heat death of the universe could be reached after 10^1000 years, and quantum fluctuations could create a new universe after 10^10^100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 years  
> **username_3**: Where do you get the quantum fluctuations claim ?  We do not, after all, have a reliable theory of universal creation (or even a quantum theory compatible with the extreme high energy densities of the early universe).  
> **username_4**: @JamesK: you misunderstand. What you've quoted is the calculated **probability** of such a fluctuation. It's like you saying that if the odds of a 0 in roulette are 1/37, the 0 will only come up after 37 spins. It would be more accurate to say that the quantum fluctuation to create a new universe is likely to happen once within the predicted timeframe, noting that "once" could be tomorrow, or not at all within multiples of the timeframe. That's the nature of probability.  
> **username_2**: Hence "could". The idea is speculative, but to be more precise, the probabilty of eternal inflation starting is 10^-10^10^56 as discussed in https://arxiv.org/pdf/hep-th/0410270.pdf  

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