The universe is still speeding up, but nobody knows why
An international team of astrophysicists has reaffirmed that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, refuting recent claims of a cosmic slowdown. The researchers attribute the previous conflicting study to analytical errors rather than a change in the fundamental nature of dark energy.
Why it matters
This study preserves the standard cosmological model, ensuring that current scientific understanding of dark energy and the fate of the universe remains consistent.
An international team of astrophysicists says the universe is still expanding at an accelerating rate, rejecting recent claims that cosmic expansion may have begun to slow.
The researchers challenged a study published last year claiming the growth of the universe is slowing. They argue that the standard interpretation remains intact: a mysterious force known as dark energy is continuing to drive the universe's accelerating expansion.
The team includes two Nobel Laureates and scientists from institutions around the world. According to the researchers, the controversy sparked by the findings reported last November was caused by a misunderstanding in the analysis rather than evidence that scientists' basic picture of the universe had suddenly broken down.
The new paper was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society .
New Analysis Challenges a Cosmic Slowdown
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in