Why Do Scientists Believe Most of the Universe Is Hidden?
The universe is expanding? Why Is Most of the Universe Hidden? Dark Energy might be the key in solving this mystery.
The universe is full of mysteries, and one of the greatest is the nature of dark energy. The scientific explanation for the origin of the universe begins with the Big Bang, an explosion that caused space to expand. About 15 billion years ago, all the matter and energy that make up the observable universe today were packed into a space smaller than the head of a pin. The universe then exploded in a colossal event, and everything started expanding in all directions. However, scientists have discovered that the expansion of the universe is not uniform, with matter moving away from us more rapidly the farther it is. This unusual behavior is believed to be caused by dark energy, which remains a mystery. In this article, we will explore the concept of dark energy, including what it is, why scientists believe it exists, and what it means for our understanding of the universe. Our universe is more complex than it appears at first glance, and we have only begun to comprehend its structure in the last century. Before that, we thought the universe was just a single galaxy filled with stars, but astronomers began to suspect that there were other galaxies beyond our own. In the 1920s, American astronomer Edwin Hubble confirmed this idea by studying the Andromeda galaxy and measuring the distance to a Cepheid variable star within it. He discovered that the universe was expanding, which challenged even Einstein's understanding of physics. In this episode, we will delve deeper into these discoveries and explore some of the ways scientists are studying dark energy to unravel its secrets.
At one point in time, even Einstein struggled to accept that the universe was dynamic and constantly changing. He believed that the universe was a static entity and tried to modify his original equations by adding an extra element called the Cosmological Constant to stabilize the mathematics of the universe. However, the idea of an expanding universe was so distasteful to him that he initially could not bring himself to accept it. Time and Edwin Hubble eventually proved Einstein's static model wrong, making the cosmological constant unnecessary. Hubble discovered that all the galaxies in the universe were moving away from us, and the further away they were, the faster they were moving. This led to the theory of the Big Bang, but another strange fact troubled scientists - galaxies were not only moving away from us but accelerating away from us, requiring energy. Scientists came up with the idea of Dark Energy to fill this gap in their knowledge. They realized that only 5% of the universe was made up of particles we could see, known as baryonic matter, with 27% attributed to dark matter and 68% to dark energy. The nature of this energy is still not fully understood, but Einstein's cosmological constant and quantum mechanics have been proposed as possible explanations. Virtual particles have also been hypothesized to be responsible for this extra energy. The mystery of dark energy continues to fascinate scientists and drive research in the field of cosmology.
The existence of virtual particles, which briefly appear and then annihilate each other, suggests the possibility of a repelling force. However, calculations showed that the energy generated by these particles would be astronomically large, leading to doubts about the theory. Another idea is the concept of a varying cosmological constant, known as "Quintessence," which could be the fifth fundamental force if it exists. However, both the cosmological constant and Quintessence lack explanations for their existence.
To study dark energy, scientists are using different observatories and telescopes. The BINGO telescope in São Paulo aims to observe the radiation emitted by hydrogen atoms in dark patches of space to detect any unusual matter distributions influenced by dark energy. Additionally, the Euclid space telescope, launched by ESA, will survey a large portion of the sky with high detail and sharpness, capturing visible light and infrared radiation. Its mission is to create a 3D image of dark energy's influence over 10 billion years.
Despite these efforts, dark energy remains a mystery. It is undetectable except for its impact on the expansion of the universe. Comprising over 60% of the universe, it pushes all galaxies apart. In the future, as dark energy continues to expand the universe, other galaxies may become undetectable, leaving only our own visible. The fate of dark energy and whether it will eventually run out or lead to a Big Crunch is uncertain. Only time and advanced telescopes like Euclid may provide answers to the nature of dark energy.
About the Creator
Saomai2003
The universe is a vast and mysterious place that has fascinated humans for centuries. From the tiniest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies, the universe is full of wonders that challenge our understanding of the world around us.
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