Can Space Disappear?

[Rev. Green]

If I understand Steven Hawking, the Big Bang created positive energy (including mass) and an equal amount of negative energy, which resides in space. Can space disappear? For example, can a Black Hole swallow space and reduce its mass?

[Old_Geezer]

The space in my garage regularly disappears.

[woofgang]

allegedly, and also according to Prof Hawking, the math works backwards too....so from nothing into everything, we are travelling towards everthing into nothing

[jim360]

I'm going to say "no", but it might depend a little on how you define "disappear". As I understood it, there's always been the same amount of space in the Universe ever since its conception, and what is changing is the measure of distances between points in the Universe.

Worth thinking about a bit more, but I wanted to give a short initial answer in case it helps prompt other questions.

[youngmafbog]

But where is the beginning and the end of Space? How much is there, is it static or dynamic?

[Zacs-Master]

It's bigger than it was when you wrote that question, YMB.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210326-the-mystery-of-our-expanding-universe

[Old_Geezer]

I think we need to define "space" first; and what it's actually doing. Is it simply stretching or is new space being created ? If it's curved it may have no beginning nor end. (Obviously infinities are a flaw in your model/maths.)

[Theland]

Rev. Green?
Is that Reverend?
Are you a man of the cloth?
(I don't mean a window cleaner!)

[Rev. Green]

No, Theland. I'm just a Cluedo character. I didn't fancy being Miss Scarlet.

[davebro]

What is space - is it simply the distance between objects? If it is then it is growing as our universe expands. Everything we perceive exits in space. It has no mass so is unaffected by gravity and can't be devoured by a black hole.
My brain hurts, I'm going to bed. Let me know how it ends!