Dark energy may not actually exist
August 18th, 2009 - 4:54 pm ICT by ANILondon, August 18 (ANI): A new research by scientists has claimed that dark energy - the mysterious substance thought to make up three-quarters of the universe - may not actually exist.
The concept of dark energy was created by cosmologists to fit Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity into reality after modern space telescopes discovered that the Universe was not behaving as it should.
According to Einstein’s work, the speed at which the Universe is expanding following the Big Bang should be slower than it actually is and this unexplained anomaly threatened to turn the whole theory upside down.
In order to reconcile this problem, the concept of dark energy was invented.
But now, according to a report in the Telegraph, Blake Temple and Joel Smoller, mathematicians at the University of California and the University of Michigan, believe they have come up with a whole new set of calculations that allow for all the sums to add up without the need for this controversial substance.
The research could change the way astronomers view the composition of our Universe, as it may prove that dark energy doesn’t exist at all.
The Standard Model of Cosmology, which describes the evolution of the Universe, begins with the Big Bang.
Astronomers have recently observed that the galaxies are accelerating as they move away from each other, and cosmologists have sought to explain this unexpected acceleration by introducing the concept of dark energy, which permeates space, propels matter, and accounts for nearly 75 percent of the mass-energy in our Universe.
The new research is likely to be equally controversial as the work it purports to challenge especially as it relies on our galaxy being at the centre of the Universe - a concept that has been generally disregarded in modern science.
According to Dr Malcom Fairbairn, particle cosmologist at King’s College London, “Ever since the concept of dark energy was first mentioned, people have been trying to explain it or explain it away. It is a mystery and an inconvenience.”
“This is one attempt at it. Whether it is right only time will tell,” he said. (ANI)
- Nobel laureate predicts a dark universe - Aug 24, 2012
- New theory suggests universe has no beginning or end - Aug 02, 2010
- Einstein's General Theory of Relativity passes biggest cosmic test - Mar 11, 2010
- US scientists measure dark energy, show Einstein was right - Dec 17, 2008
- Indian, US scientists question Big Bang theory - Apr 05, 2010
- Scientists test theory that early universe was one-dimensional - Apr 21, 2011
- Indian-origin scientist says universe will continue to expand forever - Aug 20, 2010
- Milky Way's ancient stars are remnants of other smaller galaxies - Jun 30, 2010
- NASA debunks one alternate theory to dark energy - Mar 15, 2011
- Green Bank Telescope to shed light on mysterious 'dark energy' of universe - Jul 22, 2010
- Galaxies 'formed much earlier than thought' - Apr 13, 2011
- Detailed maps of dark matter offer clues to galaxy cluster growth - Nov 12, 2010
- Largest 3D map of universe unveiled - Aug 09, 2012
- Astronomers discover earliest ever black holes - Jun 16, 2011
- Cosmos may provide clues to events before Big Bang - Nov 28, 2010
Tags: albert einstein, big bang, centre of the universe, college london, cosmologist, cosmologists, dark energy, energy doesn, evolution of the universe, fairbairn, general theory of relativity, malcom, mass energy, modern science, mysterious substance, s college, space telescopes, standard model, theory of relativity, three quarters