Dark Energy: A Constant Force?
For decades, astronomers have puzzled over dark energy and why it’s pushing our universe apart. New data from the largest 3-D map of our universe suggests we may be wrong about dark energy. Dark energy was thought to be an unchanging force, but it may not be so constant, after all.
The DESI Revelation
Scientists have constructed the largest 3-D map of our universe to date, and it’s come with a couple of interesting surprises. Michael Levi, director for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), revealed that the data from DESI may indicate a significant shift in our understanding of dark energy.
Potential Implications
If later data confirms these early hints of inconstant dark energy to be true, that would change what we know about the makeup and future of the universe. It would also bring scientists closer to solving the mystery of the universe’s accelerating expansion.
The ‘Golden Era of Cosmology’
DESI measured the most distant part of the universe, 8-11 billion years ago, with record precision. Other major universe-mapping observatories are set to provide further insights, marking what researchers are calling the ‘golden era of cosmology.’