How do you think it's going to end?

With a big crunch?
With a big rip? (The universe expands to the point where the fabric and the laws of the universe disintegrate.)
Something else?

Aaron wrote:

With a big crunch?
With a big rip? (The universe expands to the point where the fabric and the laws of the universe disintegrate.)
Something else?

Like an old soldier, it will just fade away.

Current cosmology indicates that space will continue to expand forever. But, since matter is finite, it will eventually disperse until, for all practical purposes, space will be empty, pure, devoid of material pollution.*

My guess is that space/time will, eventually and inevitably, merge with infinity/eternity.** Hence, the physical universe will return to its maker. Dust to dust, creation to creator.


* That material pollution includes us.

** I haven't seen any expert opinion on this, but---since the expansion of space is increasing---if the rate of increase is exponential, the final fade-out could be like the reverse of cosmic inflation : from something to nothing in an instant. What's left of this world could just vanish in the twinkling of G*D's eye. Poof!

I was watching a show the other night and they suggested that "the big rip" was the most likely scenario which is actually pretty close to what you described.