Vacuum decay likelihood and consequences

[KleinMoretti]

TL;DR Summary

what is the likelihood of a vacuum decay ever happening and what would be the consequences.

what is the likelihood of a vacuum decay happening, like is it something that is really considered and taken seriously by scientists or is it just wild speculation that is not really taken seriously but makes for good headlines?

Also if vacuum decay does happen what exactly would be the consequences, like I have read that the most extreme case is the destruction of the universe but what exactly does that mean, is everything in the universe actually destroyed including the energy of the universe?

 

[jambaugh]

I'd vote it "wild speculation" at best. But it makes great click-bait so you'll see it often on pop science websites and news feeds.

Now if you want to worry about something more pressing, Andromeda will collide with the Milky Way and probably the central black holes will merge. I afraid that the resulting radiation as the merged galaxy becomes a quasar will wipe out all life. Even if we have interstellar travel by then there's nowhere in the galaxy to hide.