The universe is like a contraction of a heartbeat. it expands, the consciousness and matter evolve, and then it contracts or big crunches then repeats. this has gone on forever and will never stop. it was very simple, and is becoming more and more complex in its fractals and symmetry and consciousness. how many others are out there who knows. likely a multiverse and death doesn't exist, only transformation, but what we call death is necessary to make room for something new.