Robert Jastrow - God and the Astronomers (1978)

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At this moment it seems as though science will never be able to raise the curtain on the mystery of creation. For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.

Robert Jastrow
When a scientist writes about God, his colleagues assume he is either over the hill or going bonkers. In my case it should be understood from the start that I am an agnostic in religious matters. My views on this question are close to those of Darwin, who wrote, "My theology is a simple muddle. I cannot look at the Universe as the result of blind chance, yet I see no evidence of beneficent design in the details."

Robert Jastrow
Within the isolated galaxies, the old stars burn out one by one, and fewer and fewer new stars are formed to replace them. Stars are the source of the energy by which all beings live. When the light of the last star is extinguished, the Universe fades into darkness, and all life comes to an end.

Robert Jastrow
Thus, the facts indicate that the Universe will expand forever. We still come across pieces of mass here and there in the Universe, and someday we may find the missing matter, but the consensus at the moment is that it will not be found. According to the available evidence, the end will come in darkness.

Robert Jastrow