How Vacuum Decay Would Destroy The Universe episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 20, 2026 · 17 MIN

How Vacuum Decay Would Destroy The Universe

from PBS Space Time · host PBS

Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime The universe is going to end. But of all the possible ends of the universe vacuum decay would have to be the most thorough - because it could totally rewrite the laws of physics. Today I hope to help you understand exactly how terrified you should be. Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal & Stephanie Faria GFX Visualizations: Ajay Manuel Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Assistant Producer: Setare Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown & Andrew Kornhaber End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/user/MultiDroideka Special thanks to Our Patreon Sponsors Big Bang Supporters Ari Paul Kyle Bulloch Charlie Mrs. Tiffany Poindexter Leo Koguan Sandy Wu Matthew Miller Scott Gray Ahmad Jodeh Alexander Tamas Morgan Hough Juan Benet Vinnie Falco Fabrice Eap Mark Rosenthal David Nicklas Quasar Supporters Ethan Cohen Stephen Wilcox Christina Oegren Mark Heising Hank S Hypernova Supporters william bryan Kaci Parker drollere Joe Moreira Marc Armstrong Elizabeth Smith Scott Gorlick Nick Berard Paul Stehr-Green Muon Marketing Russell Pope Ben Delo Nicholas Newlin DrJYou Антон Кочков John R. Slavik Mathew Danton Spivey Donal Botkin John Pollock Edmund Fokschaner Joseph Salomone Matthew O'Connor chuck zegar Jordan Young m0nk John Hofmann Daniel Muzquiz Timothy McCulloch Gamma Ray Burst Supporters Andre Stechert Ross Bohner Farhan Wali Paul Wood Kent Durham jim bartosh Nubble Chris Navrides Scott R Calkins Carl Scaggs G Mack The Mad Mechanic Ellis Hall John H. Austin, Jr. Diana S Ben Campbell Lawrence Tholl, DVM Faraz Khan Almog Cohen Alex Edwards Ádám Kettinger MD3 Endre Pech Daniel Jennings Cameron Sampson Pratik Mukherjee Geoffrey Clarion Nate Adrian Posor Darren Duncan Russ Creech Jeremy Reed Eric Webster Steven Sartore David Johnston J. King Michael Barton Christopher Barron James Ramsey Justin Jermyn Mr T Andrew Mann Jeremiah Johnson Peter Mertz Isaac Suttell Devon Rosenthal Oliver Flanagan Bleys Goodson Robert Walter Bruce B Ismael Montecel Simon Oliphant Mirik Gogri Mark Daniel Cohen Brandon Lattin Nickolas Andrew Freeman Protius Protius Shane Calimlim Tybie Fitzhugh Robert Ilardi Eric Kiebler Craig Stonaha Martin Skans Michael Conroy Graydon Goss Frederic Simon Tonyface John Robinson A G Kevin Lee Adrian Hatch Yurii Konovaliuk John Funai Cass Costello Tristan Deloche Bradley Jenkins Kyle Hofer Daniel Stříbrný Luaan AlecZero Vlad Shipulin Cody Malte Ubl King Zeckendorff Nick Virtue Scott Gossett Dan Warren Patrick Sutton John Griffith Daniel Lyons Julien Dubois DFaulk GrowingViolet Kevin Warne Andreas Nautsch Brandon labonte Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime The universe is going to end. But of all the possible ends of the universe vacuum decay would have to be the most thorough - because it could totally rewrite the laws of physics. Today I hope to help you understand exactly how terrified you should be. Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal & Stephanie Faria GFX Visualizations: Ajay Manuel Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Assistant Producer: Setare Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown & Andrew Kornhaber End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/user/MultiDroideka Special thanks to Our Patreon Sponsors Big Bang Supporters Ari Paul Kyle Bulloch Charlie Mrs. Tiffany Poindexter Leo Koguan Sandy Wu Matthew Miller Scott Gray Ahmad Jodeh Alexander Tamas Morgan Hough Juan Benet Vinnie Falco Fabrice Eap Mark Rosenthal David Nicklas Quasar Supporters Ethan Cohen Stephen Wilcox Christina Oegren Mark Heising Hank S Hypernova Supporters william bryan Kaci Parker drollere Joe Moreira Marc Armstrong Elizabeth Smith Scott Gorlick Nick Berard Paul Stehr-Green Muon Marketing Russell Pope Ben Delo Nicholas Newlin DrJYou Антон Кочков John R. Slavik Mathew Danton Spivey Donal Botkin John Pollock Edmund Fokschaner Joseph Salomone Matthew O'Connor chuck zegar Jordan Young m0nk John Hofmann Daniel Muzquiz Timothy McCulloch Gamma Ray Burst Supporters Andre Stechert Ross Bohner Farhan Wali Paul Wood Kent Durham jim bartosh Nubble Chris Navrides Scott R Calkins Carl Scaggs G Mack The Mad Mechanic Ellis Hall John H. Austin, Jr. Diana S Ben Campbell Lawrence Tholl, DVM Faraz Khan Almog Cohen Alex Edwards Ádám Kettinger MD3 Endre Pech Daniel Jennings Cameron Sampson Pratik Mukherjee Geoffrey Clarion Nate Adrian Posor Darren Duncan Russ Creech Jeremy Reed Eric Webster Steven Sartore David Johnston J. King Michael Barton Christopher Barron James Ramsey Justin Jermyn Mr T Andrew Mann Jeremiah Johnson Peter Mertz Isaac Suttell Devon Rosenthal Oliver Flanagan Bleys Goodson Robert Walter Bruce B Ismael Montecel Simon Oliphant Mirik Gogri Mark Daniel Cohen Brandon Lattin Nickolas Andrew Freeman Protius Protius Shane Calimlim Tybie Fitzhugh Robert Ilardi Eric Kiebler Craig Stonaha Martin Skans Michael Conroy Graydon Goss Frederic Simon Tonyface John Robinson A G Kevin Lee Adrian Hatch Yurii Konovaliuk John Funai Cass Costello Tristan Deloche Bradley Jenkins Kyle Hofer Daniel Stříbrný Luaan AlecZero Vlad Shipulin Cody Malte Ubl King Zeckendorff Nick Virtue Scott Gossett Dan Warren Patrick Sutton John Griffith Daniel Lyons Julien Dubois DFaulk GrowingViolet Kevin Warne Andreas Nautsch Brandon labonte Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How Vacuum Decay Would Destroy The Universe

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This episode was published on June 20, 2026.

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Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime The universe is going to end. But of all the possible ends of the universe vacuum decay would have to be the most thorough - because it could totally...

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