Particles of Thought Einstein’s “Biggest Blunder” | Adam Riess
Dec 15, 2025
Adam Riess, an esteemed astrophysicist and Nobel Prize winner, shares the thrilling yet nerve-wracking journey of discovering dark energy. He reflects on the harrowing checks and team confirmations that led to the paradigm-shifting realization of the universe's accelerating expansion. Riess explains Einstein's lambda and the infamous 'biggest blunder', illustrating how negative pressure drives repulsive gravity. With evidence solidifying towards 2025, he shares insights into the cosmic relevance of this dark force.
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Sweaty Nights Before A Major Discovery
- Adam Riess nervously checked every step after his surprising result and tried to find his own error first.
- He emailed colleagues and Brian Schmidt confirmed the result with a reply: "well, hello, Lambda."
Gravity From Energy Can Be Repulsive
- The cosmological constant (Lambda) can be seen as either extra stuff in spacetime or intrinsic energy density of space-time.
- Energy can produce repulsive gravity via negative pressure, enabling accelerated expansion.
Why Einstein Added Lambda
- Einstein added Lambda because astronomers of his day believed the universe was static and confined to the Milky Way.
- He realized general relativity allowed energy with negative pressure to produce repulsive effects balancing attraction.