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The heat death of the universe (also known as the Big Chill or Big Freeze) [1] [2] is a hypothesis on the ultimate fate of the universe, which suggests the universe will evolve to a state of no thermodynamic free energy, and will therefore be unable to sustain processes that increase entropy.
The heat death scenario is compatible with any of the three spatial models, but it requires that the universe reaches an eventual temperature minimum. [24] Without dark energy, it could occur only under a flat or hyperbolic geometry. With a positive cosmological constant, it could also occur in a closed universe.
The prevailing theory is that the universe will cool as it expands, eventually becoming too cold to sustain life. For this reason, this future scenario popularly called "Heat Death" is also known as the "Big Chill" or "Big Freeze". Some of the other popular theories include the Big Rip, Big Crunch, and the Big Bounce.
The Office for National Statistics said the greatest risk to life was when temperatures exceeded 25C or fell below minus 5C.
From 1999-2023, the Journal of American Medical Association recorded 21,518 deaths where heat was either the underlying cause or the contributing cause of death, likely an underestimation, they say.
There was a 3.4 percent annual increase in the cold-related mortality rates over the years included in the research. Men had a higher rate of cold-related deaths than women.
The 1936 North American heat wave was one of the most severe heat waves in the modern history of North America. It took place in the middle of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s and caused more than 5,000 deaths. Many state and city record high temperatures set during the 1936 heat wave stood until the 2012 North American heat wave.
This sobering statistic underscores a 117 percent surge in heat-related deaths since 1999, with over 20,000 lives claimed by blistering temperatures over the past two decades.