The Expansion of the Universe

A groundbreaking discovery reveals that the universe is not just expanding, but the rate of its expansion is accelerating. This phenomenon was first demonstrated by astronomer Edwin Hubble, who found that the universe was increasing in size, but it wasn't until Brian Schmidt and his team examined supernova explosions that they confirmed the speed-up in expansion. Supernovae serve as powerful cosmic beacons, illuminating the distant universe and providing insights into how quickly space is stretching. This revelation indicated the presence of a mysterious force, later identified as dark energy, which constitutes a significant portion of the universe's mass-energy content.