Short Wave This Mysterious Energy Is Everywhere. Scientists Still Don't Know What It Is
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Jul 16, 2024 
Brian Nord, a computational cosmologist, dives into the intriguing world of dark energy and its vital role in the universe's accelerating expansion. He discusses how this mysterious force pushes galaxies away faster over time, prompting fascinating theories about the end of the universe. Nord highlights methods scientists employ to study dark energy, the implications for cosmic dynamics, and various potential scenarios for our universe's fate, painting a captivating picture of what lies ahead in the vast cosmos.
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Evolving Understanding of the Universe
- Scientists initially believed the universe was static.
- Later, they discovered it was expanding and, even more recently, that this expansion is accelerating.
Nature of Dark Energy
- Dark energy is thought to be the energy of the vacuum of spacetime, causing the universe's accelerated expansion.
- This vacuum energy has a constant density, leading to more space and more vacuum energy, thus further expansion.
Supernovae as Cosmic Probes
- In the late 1990s, cosmologists used supernovae as "buoys" to study the universe's expansion.
- They observed these supernovae moving away from us at increasing speeds, indicating the universe's accelerating expansion.