The universe might tear itself apart as matter takes on denser forms. A substance called dark matter could get heavier while the universe expands until it tears a hole in it in the fabric of space and time, reported the sun.

According to The Daily Mail, the question is whether or not dark energy would act in the way we think. A theory claimed that instead of causing the stable expansion of our universe, dark energy may speed it up. This would lead to the destruction of the universe via a cosmic tear, dubbed as the big rip.

The report added that a team of researchers from the Technical University of Lisbon in Portugal explored three versions of the event.

The big rip, the little sibling of the big rip, and the little rip. Each possibility may differ in the way the universe reportedly tears itself apart, though they may have similarities. Mariam Bouhmadi Lopez said all galaxies would be eventually ripped apart.

The report said that scientists used maps to study which of the three rips would be most likely to happen. They are also locating these areas in the universe with strange deviations in gravitational pull.

They came to the conclusion that the little rip would be more likely in which the tear happens over billions of years.

The Sun reported that some scientists believe the universe will continue to expand forever and will reach a state where every star dies and all that is left would be black holes. Other scientists said that the universe will stop growing and will begin to fall back and cause a big crunch.