Shifting Forces: The evolving debate around dark energy
UC researcher weighs in on how new evidence challenges established science
Scientists are revisiting the mystery of dark energy, the force thought to be steadily pushing the universe to expand faster.
According to an “Undark Magazine” article, data from a new scientific device shows that dark energy might not be a constant after all and could be changing over time.
Scientists cited say that more research and observations are needed before upending long held beliefs.
Melissa Jaquart, assistant professor of philosophy. Photo provided by Jaquart.
In the article, Melissa Jaquart, a philosopher of science at the University of Cincinnati, explains that it can be hard to reconsider ideas we’ve held for a long time; especially in scientific discovery where scientists often stick to theories that fit their usual way of thinking about the world, which can reflect personal bias.
Jacquart says many areas of physics focus on consistency — the idea that things always work the same way — and that this preference for simplicity can make scientists want to keep things easy to understand.
According to the article, these new results could mean the universe won’t continue expanding forever in the same way, possibly leading to new ideas about how the universe will end.
Read the full "Undark Magazine" article.
Featured photo at top of dark space by iStock Photo/alexaldo.
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