  Using a physical renormalisation scheme we derive mass-dependent
renormalisation group equations for the running of the Higgs quartic coupling
within the Standard Model. Subsequently, we accurately take into account weak
scale thresholds, resulting in a reduction of the error in the determination of
the maximum $M_t$ required for absolute stability of the vacuum to 0.28 GeV.
For the first time, we conclusively establish the fate of the electroweak
vacuum, finding that absolute stability of the Higgs vacuum state is excluded
at 99.98% C.L. We also discuss the consequences when this new result is
combined with the BICEP Collaboration's recent observation of B-mode
polarisation in the cosmic microwave background, finding the Standard Model
electroweak vacuum lifetime to be too short to have survived inflation. The
implications for inflationary and new physics models are also discussed.
