The Fabric of Spacetime and the Endless Cycle

The fabric of spacetime — though some deny its existence, many of us accept that it emerges from the interactions between the fundamental particles that make up matter and energy; in other words, from the exchange of energy itself. What keeps nagging at my mind is the possibility of this fabric thinning and weakening as the universe expands. What happens if this fabric thins? Or is it already thinning? Is it even possible for it to thin?

If we accept that as our universe expands, the gravity of planets, stars, black holes and countless other objects remains unchanged, then — by the law of conservation of matter and therefore of energy — I believe the existing fabric of spacetime must gradually thin over time as the universe grows.

As I decided to write this down, I assumed the instantaneous number of black holes in the universe to be an even number. Because while black holes that have reached a certain size begin to lose mass (emitting Hawking radiation), black holes that have just completed their supernova are devouring mass like mad. If we assume the energy exchange between these two is of equal magnitude, then as our universe expands, it will find no energy left to weave new spacetime fabric. And so the existing fabric will stretch and thin over time.

"But if this fabric is thinning, how come we haven't felt it? Why haven't the planets drawn closer to each other, then?" — you might ask. As far as we know, there are close to 100 billion galaxies in the universe; imagine the size of the cloth accordingly. Each galaxy (since there is usually a black hole at its center) has a particular orbit and direction of rotation. For this reason, I believe that what will actually draw closer together are not the planets, but the galaxies themselves.

As the fabric of spacetime thins, galaxies will begin moving toward the black hole with the greatest mass, and the spacetime fabric, unable to bear this weight, will begin to collapse like a water droplet. Meanwhile, of course, the colliding galaxies will form a colossal ball of energy. This energy ball, sagging downward like a water droplet, will after a while be flung back — as if launched by a rubber sling — returning the same way it came (making, so to speak, a Big Bang), and everything will begin anew, just as it did 13.7 billion years ago. The universe will start expanding and cooling rapidly once more, planets will form again, and perhaps an intelligent life form like us will emerge, trying to unravel the secrets of the universe and understand how it all works...

But what if this elasticity plays out in perfect symmetry? What if this water droplet, sent back, drives time in exactly the reverse direction? Could the déjà vu we experience have something to do with this? If so, which life of mine is this? How many times have I written this very text? How many times have I inhabited this body?

Could we be inside an endless cycle?