Dark Energy

Dark energy is a mysterious force that is causing the universe to expand faster and faster over time. It is one of the biggest puzzles in modern physics and cosmology, as no one knows what it is or where it comes from.

What the Scientists are Saying

• Dark energy makes up about 68% of the total energy in the universe, while dark matter makes up about 27%, and normal matter (everything we can see and touch) makes up less than 5%
• Dark energy was first discovered in 1998 by two teams of astronomers who measured the brightness and distance of distant supernovae (exploding stars). They found that the supernovae were farther away than expected, implying that the universe was expanding faster than previously thought
• Dark energy is not the same as the cosmological constant, which is a term that Albert Einstein added to his theory of general relativity to make the universe static (neither expanding nor contracting). However, some physicists think that dark energy could be explained by a cosmological constant with a very small negative value, representing a constant negative pressure in space
• Dark energy is not the only possible explanation for the accelerating expansion of the universe. Some alternative theories include modified gravity, extra dimensions, or a dynamic scalar field (a type of energy that can change over time and space). However, none of these theories have been confirmed by observation or experiment245
• Dark energy is not directly observable, but its effects can be seen in the cosmic microwave background (the leftover radiation from the Big Bang), the large-scale structure of the universe (the distribution of galaxies and clusters), and the gravitational lensing of light by massive objects. These observations help scientists constrain the properties and behavior of dark energy