If there is nothing beyond the universe ....

[Lorizael]

I thought the apearence of a new universe sometime within several billion years was predicted by the results of the LHC experiments that proved the existence of the Higgs Bosun? Would this new universe be like ours? Would it simply wipe out ours all at once or would it start somewhere and expand outwards over a period of time?

It's predicted by the LHC results insomuch as the mass of the Higgs boson suggests the universe may only be metastable. But that metastability, and the consequence of metastability, only lead to the destruction of our universe if the mass of the Higgs and other massive particles are exactly what particle physicists think they are right now and if no new laws of physics are forthcoming. There's no reason to believe either of those things is true.

As far as what this new universe might look like, it's hard to say. It probably wouldn't be like ours, though, because it would be a universe in which metastability wasn't an issue. And yes, my understanding is that it would expand outward at some speed--probably the speed of light.

[Dr Strangelove]

So you're saying that our universe will be replaced by a better one? Well that thought provides some comfort. Maybe if we all get down on our knees and pray with all our might we can speed the coming of the better universe. Of course, spreading at the speed of light there's no telling how long it would take to get here.

[Lorizael]

Well, it'll be one with different values for all the particles we're used to, which means chemistry and physics won't be the same, which means it might end up being a very boring (or biophobic) universe.

[Dr Strangelove]

Or it could wind up being a magical universe.

[Geronimo]

I take it KH, and JM and Dr Spin don't visit much of late?

[Lorizael]

Yup. They had babies. So a slightly past community college physics/astronomy student is the best we've got from now on. But don't worry--I don't plan on having any children.

[The Mad Monk]

Babies ruin everything. They're just so...so...babies!

[Dr Strangelove]

Well, it'll be one with different values for all the particles we're used to, which means chemistry and physics won't be the same, which means it might end up being a very boring (or biophobic) universe.

Shouldn't we be able to calculate the changes?

[Lorizael]

It's my understanding that the new universe's properties would be essentially random, but this is speculation way, way beyond my knowledge base.

[My Wife Hates CIV]

Shouldn't we be able to calculate the changes?

you can... example, if the strong force was a bit different you would not have protons. which means... you would not have anything like we know of.