New data from seven of the world's most powerful telescopes have confirmed the universe is dying.
An international team of astronomers studying 200,000 galaxies measured the energy generated, discovering it is only half what it was two billion years ago and fading.
The research is part of the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) project, the largest multi-wavelength survey ever put together.
"We used as many space and ground-based telescopes we could get our hands on, to measure the energy output of over 200,000 galaxies across as broad a wavelength range as possible," said Professor Simon Driver, who presented the findings at the International Astronomical Union's General Assembly in Honolulu.
The survey data includes 200,000 galaxies - each measured at 21 wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the far infrared - and will help scientists better understand how different types of galaxies form.
A galaxy from the GAMA survey, observed at 20 different wavelengths | Image: ICRAR/GAMA
Prof Driver, who heads up the GAMA team, said the study set out to map and model all of the energy generated within a set volume of space.
It shows that energy is constantly being released by stars, and this energy is either absorbed by dust as it travels - or escapes into space until it hits something like another star or planet.
The report points out that while it has been known since the late 1990s that the universe is slowly fading, this work shows it is happening across all wavelengths.
But should we be worried?
Space commentator Leo Enright told Newstalk Breakfast depending on who you talk to, the end looks "pretty awful".
