Astronomers know that the Universe is speeding up, and for decades they have been puzzled about what could be speeding it up.
Scientists refer to the fact that there is a strong and stable force involved, which corresponds perfectly to the main mathematical model that describes how the universe behaves. But they can’t see it and they don’t know where it comes from, so the dark name is important.
This matter is so massive that it is thought to make up nearly 70% of the universe – while ordinary matter, such as all stars, planets and humans, makes up only 5 %.
But results published earlier this year by an international research collaboration of more than 900 scientists from around the world were quite surprising.
As scientists looked at how galaxies move, they discovered that the force that was pushing or pulling them does not seem to be constant.
The same agency on Tuesday published a new, more extensive set of analyzes that led to a similar response, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Wednesday.
“I didn’t think such a result would happen in my lifetime,” said Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki, a cosmologist at the University of Texas at Dallas who is part of the collaboration.
Called the Dark Matter Spectroscopic Instrument, it uses a telescope southwest of Tucson, Arizona, to create a three-dimensional map of the universe over 11 billion years, to see how galaxies have clustered together over time. and place.
This gives scientists information about how the universe grew and where it might be going.
The map they are building would make no sense if dark matter were a constant force, as is theorized. Instead, the energy seems to change or weaken over time.
If this is true, it would cost astronomers’ standard cosmological model. This could mean that dark matter is very different from what scientists thought – or that something completely different could be going on.
“It’s a time of great excitement and also some anxiety and confusion,” explained Bhuvnesh Jain, a cosmologist at the University of Pennsylvania who is not involved in the study.
The latest discovery by the group of scientists points to a possible explanation based on an older theory: that the Universe expanded over billions of years of cosmic history and galaxies together as which was predicted by Einstein’s general relativity.
The new findings are not definitive. Astronomers say they need more data to dispel a theory that seemed to fit so well.
They hope that observations from other telescopes and further analyzes of the new data over the next few years will determine whether the current view of dark matter continues or diminishes.
Since dark matter is the largest component of the universe, its behavior determines the fate of the universe, explained David Spergel, astronomer and president of the Simons Foundation.
If dark matter is stable, the universe will continue to expand, becoming increasingly cold and empty. If it grows in strength, the universe will expand so quickly that it will destroy itself in what astronomers call the ‘Big Rip’.
“Don’t worry. If that’s what’s happening, it won’t happen for billions of years. But we’d like to know more about this,” said Spergel.
2024-11-21 01:29:00
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How might the recent findings regarding dark matter influence future astronomical research and experiments?
Thank you for joining me today, Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones, for this important discussion on the recent findings regarding dark matter and its implications for our understanding of the universe.
Dr. Smith, as a cosmologist, can you explain to our audience the significance of the discovery that the force of dark matter may not be constant but could change or weaken over time? How does this challenge our current understanding of dark matter and its role in the universe?
Dr. Jones, as someone not involved in the study, can you provide your perspective on how this new information could potentially change our understanding of dark matter theory and its potential for other possible explanations? It seems like there is some excitement but also anxiety surrounding these findings.
Building on that, Dr. Smith, what do the latest discoveries point to as a possible explanation? And what other observations or data do astronomers need to collect and analyze to confirm or refute these findings?
Dr. Jones, what are the implications of these findings for the fate of the universe? If dark matter isn’t stable, what could happen? Conversely, if it does grow stronger, what consequences might that hold for our cosmic future?
Dr. Spergel, as someone who has followed these developments closely, what is your view on the potential impact of these findings on future scientific research and our understanding of the universe? Do you think this will spark new theories or experiments within the field of astronomy?
