  Recent astronomical observations of distant supernovae light-curves suggest
that the expansion of the universe has recently begun to accelerate.
Acceleration is created by an anti-gravitational repulsive stress, like that
produced by a positive cosmological constant, or universal vacuum energy. It
creates a rather bleak eschatological picture. An ever-expanding universe's
future appears to be increasingly dominated by its constant vacuum energy. A
universe doomed to accelerate forever will produce a state of growing
uniformity and cosmic loneliness. Structures participating in the cosmological
expansion will ultimately leave each others' horizons and
information-processing must eventually die out. Here, we examine whether this
picture is the only interpretation of the observations. We find that in many
well-motivated scenarios the observed spell of vacuum domination is only a
transient phenomenon. Soon after acceleration starts, the vacuum energy's
anti-gravitational properties are reversed, and a matter-dominated decelerating
cosmic expansion resumes. Thus, contrary to general expectations, once an
accelerating universe does not mean always an accelerating universe.
