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Dark EnergyDark energy is the name given to the invisible mechanism that has caused the universe to expand at an accelerated rate for the past five billion years. Rather than conventional kinetic energy—the energy of objects moving through space—dark energy causes space itself to stretch out, pushing otherwise stationary objects farther apart. Calculations of the prevalence of this repulsion reveal that approximately 70% of the universe is made of dark energy. Astronomers have known the universe was expanding since Edwin Hubble observed galaxies moving away from Earth in 1929, which served as evidence for the Big Bang. However, cosmologists believed the mutual gravitational attraction of everything in the universe would slow this expansion. By 1998, two independent research teams used type Ia supernovae—stellar remnants that reignite and undergo runaway thermonuclear explosions—to map the universe's expansion over time and discovered it was instead speeding up. While the nature of dark energy remains unknown, Albert Einstein's equations of gravity once included a term that represented a uniform, repulsive energy filling space. This cosmological constant represents the leading candidate for what dark energy is, but that may be changing. Data from 2025 suggests that the density of dark energy is slowly decreasing with time, weakening its accelerating effect.Explore Dark Energy

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As of 2025, the best cosmological model of the universe includes dark energyThe Lambda cold dark matter model uses the Greek letter to denote the presence of a cosmological constant version of dark energy, alongside slow-moving dark matter and ordinary visible matter. It can account for the observed distribution of galaxies, the structure of the cosmic microwave background, the acceleration of the universe, and the abundance of hydrogen. Astrobites Quantum field theory overestimated the value of dark energy by 120 orders of magnitudePhysicists in the 1960s used their most successful theory to determine whether the accelerated expansion of the universe arises from quantum fluctuations in empty space. However, the mismatch between vacuum energy density and dark energy was so severe that it has been referred to as "the worst theoretical prediction in the history of physics." PBS Space Time An early burst of dark energy may resolve discrepancies in the universe's measured expansionThe Hubble tension refers to mismatches in the calculated rate of expansion of the universe derived from different methods, such as supernova data and the cosmic microwave background. By allowing dark energy to become active at a different time, models of the universe on which some of these methods depend are revised, altering the calculated values. Big Think Under a model of quintessence, the strength of dark energy should change over timeThe theory suggests that dark energy permeates space and may drive the universe to expand or contract throughout its history. The model's flexibility allows it to fit every possible observed behavior of the universe's expansion, rendering it unfalsifiable and untestable. PBS Space Time Under the Big Rip scenario, dark energy becomes strong enough to tear atoms apartIf the density of dark energy, which produces a repulsive effect through the expansion of space, increases with time, then all structures of matter, including galaxies, stars, planets, and atoms, will be pulled apart once the strength of dark energy surpasses the magnitude of the forces holding those structures together, including the gravitational and electromagnetic forces. Space.com Dark energy dominance represents the final era of the universeAs the universe expanded after the Big Bang, matter and energy diluted at different rates, with light once the most dense substance in the cosmos, followed by a period when matter was the most dense component. About five billion years ago, the density of dark energy was higher than that of both light and matter, which will continue to dilute. Big Think The 2011 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded for the discovery of dark energyThrough the use of standard candles—objects whose brightness is well-known—astronomers can determine distances by recognizing that the same phenomena will dim in predictable ways with increasing distance. By observing the same type of bright stellar explosion at various locations, Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and Adam Riess identified that the universe's expansion was increasing. The Nobel Prize Due to dark energy, the universe is expected to end as a dark, sparse placeWhile the sun is expected to continue shining for another five billion years, the expansion of the universe will cause nearby stars and galaxies to become ever more distant, until they are too far to observe. Once the last old, red, dim stars cool into darkness after trillions of years, the universe will settle into a state of eternal, dark emptiness. The Conversation Dark energy causes 97% of the galaxies to move faster than lightAlthough special relativity prevents objects from moving faster than the speed of light, the expansion of the universe, which increases with distance between objects, produces observed superluminal motion. This does not violate the theory because galaxies are moving with the expanding space, rather than through it. Domain of Science Universes with stronger dark energy may be more common than oursResearch shows that while universes with slightly weaker dark energy form stars more efficiently, universes with stronger dark energy are statistically more common and can still support star formation. This challenges the anthropic logic that our universe must have ideal conditions for life because we exist to observe them. Space.com The weakening of dark energy suggests a dynamic universe with evolving forcesThe discovery, which came from analyzing extensive data from a major cosmological survey, challenges the assumed constancy of dark energy in modern physics. Understanding dark energy's behavior is crucial for predicting the universe's long-term evolution. The Guardian If dark energy is weakening, the universe may collapse under its own gravityScientists using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) analyzed light from 15 million galaxies and quasars to identify that the universe's accelerated expansion is diminishing. If this continues, the universe might reverse course and collapse in as little as 20 billion years. NPR The universe's expansion is accelerating due to a mysterious force called dark energyAstronomers discovered in the late 1990s that galaxies move apart faster over time, contradicting expectations that gravity should slow cosmic expansion. This prompted the revival of the "cosmological constant," a form of repulsive gravity first proposed by Albert Einstein. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics Dark matter and dark energy make up 95% of the universeDark matter holds galaxies and other large-scale structures together through gravity, and dark energy drives the universe's accelerating expansion. While scientists do not know what either is made of, they see how these dark components affect the normal matter in the universe. European Space Agency Dark matter and dark energy, explainedWhat is dark energy? What is dark matter? Well, if we knew exactly, we would have a Nobel prize—we know that they exist, though. Scientists have theorized that the former may be a property of three-dimensional space itself, while the latter could be exotic particles that interact with almost nothing. This video from Kurzgesagt explains what we know and what we don't. YouTube This online magazine runs on a solar panel, sometimes going offlineThe publication's solar-powered server in Barcelona means the site goes dark when clouds roll in. It's designed as an intentional statement about energy and digital infrastructure. The magazine features essays advocating for the adoption of pre-industrial or low-energy solutions to modern problems. Low Tech Magazine DESI is mapping the universe's expansion over the last 11 billion yearsThe Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument is conducting a five-year redshift survey of over one-third of the sky, measuring the receding motions and locations of about 35 million galaxies and millions of stars using light captured by 5,000 optical fibers. Stanford University Oscillating matter in the early universe left behind patterns detailing cosmic expansionAs gravity tried to bring matter closer together in the early universe, its high temperature produced an outward pressure that caused it to expand. These competing forces caused matter to vibrate and produce the equivalent of sound waves, which spread outward as the universe expanded and cooled, serving as relics of dark energy's history. NASA Goddard Dark stars are hypothetical stars that would have existed in the early universePrimarily composed of visible matter, this celestial object would also contain a significant amount of dark matter that would annihilate with itself, converting its mass into energy. This energy would prevent the star from collapsing under its own gravity and from triggering nuclear fusion until its dark matter fuel was exhausted. Harvard University It may be possible to create dark matter in particle acceleratorsIn high-energy collisions, exotic forms of matter can be produced by directly converting energy into mass according to *E = mc*². Even though a dark matter particle would not be directly observable, its creation would result in unaccounted-for mass, which can be compared to potential dark matter candidates for indirect detection. TED-Ed Fritz Zwicky predicted the existence of dark matter and neutron starsThe former resulted from analyzing the motion of galaxies in the Coma Cluster, a subset of the approximately 30,000 galaxies he catalogued during his life. When hypothesizing an origin for observed high-energy particles called cosmic rays, Zwicky thought they could come from exploding stars, or supernovae—a term he coined—which would leave behind a collapsed star made entirely of neutrons. American Museum of Natural History Room-Sized Particle Accelerators Are Here IEEE Spectrum Space-based solar power systems may beam energy to EarthResearchers have successfully collected power from solar panels on a plane and transmitted it to a receiver on Earth's surface, achieving a milestone for space-based energy. The proof of concept is a precursor for a satellite-based solar farm that would transmit energy 24 hours a day. IEEE Spectrum The heat death of the universe will mark the perceptive end of timeUnder this scenario, all matter and energy will be scattered as far out as possible, with no stars left to produce measurable light between objects. With no way of observing changes or increasing the disorder of the universe further, events could not be distinguished from one another, and time would lose meaning. BBC ‘Moshing,’ an aggressive style of dancing, was initially called 'mashing'The style, which involves audience members thrashing their bodies into one another, evolved from “pogoing,” a style popular in England where listeners jumped up and down in place. The term “moshing,” sometimes called “slam dancing” in California, is believed to come from HR, the lead singer of Bad Brains. Consequence The observable universe has a mass of 100 sexdecillion kilogramsThe amount of visible matter in the universe is most accurately determined by measuring the cosmic microwave background. Quantities of dark matter and dark energy are calculated through the observed bending of light around galaxies and the expansion of the universe, respectively. Astronomy Magazine Some materials can absorb low-energy light and emit high-energy radiationThrough anti-Stokes cooling, incoming energy is combined with vibrations in a material's crystal lattice to produce a net reduction in its temperature. Using this effect, lasers can be directed at microchip hot spots to help keep data centers cool. IEEE Spectrum The Takaro Lodge, a therapeutic New Zealand community turned wellness cultFounded by Slovenian "energy" healer Aiping Wang, the lodge members were promised spiritual growth, healing, and even radical gifts like flight and foresight. Things turned dark as the group embraced extreme beliefs and practices. RNZ Explore an interactive map of the unified theories of everythingThe map concisely describes many highly complex theories, from those involving quantum gravity and black holes to dark matter and energy. Supplementary resources, key questions, and possible solutions accompany each description. Quanta Magazine Maintenance, curtailment, congestion, and wind speed can park a wind turbineWind turbines are optimized to operate at wind speeds between about 10 and 80 kph, but an internal brake stops them if energy is not required. Routine preventative maintenance and cleaning also prevent blades from rotating. The Indianapolis Star The Standard Model reveals an underlying organization to the universeUsing the framework of quantum field theory, it structures all known particles into 12 matter particles, alongside five particles that carry three of the four fundamental forces. Although remarkably precise and predictive, it cannot yet explain gravity, dark matter, or dark energy. Quanta Magazine Quantum field theory reveals that particles are ripples in universal fieldsInstead of being made of indivisible particles, all visible matter in the universe is built from underlying quantum fields—smooth, invisible entities that behave like waves. The theory suggests these fields are fundamental, and particles are disturbances that move through them. The Joy of Why Type Ia supernovae are 'standard candles' used to accurately measure cosmic distancesThese explosions are caused by white dwarfs—remnants of low-mass stars—that reignite and explode, with every explosion brightening and dimming in the same way. By comparing them, astronomers have mapped the locations of galaxies alongside velocity data to determine the universe's expansion rate across time and the existence of dark energy. NASA Lagrange points offer energy-efficient orbits for telescopesLagrange Points are special locations where gravitational forces let spacecraft "park" without constant course corrections, making them ideal for science missions. NASA’s James Webb Telescope uses Lagrange Point 2 to stay aligned with Earth while orbiting the Sun. NASA The theory of axiogenesis may explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in our universeAxiogenesis suggests that a theoretical particle field that evolved after the Big Bang may have spun like a marble around a wobbly “Mexican hat” energy landscape, producing excess matter over antimatter. This theoretical particle—the axion—may also make up dark matter, solving an additional mystery in astronomy. Quanta Magazine

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