The research, led by Professor Young-Wook Lee of Yonsei University in South Korea, suggests that the mysterious force known as dark energy is losing power. This energy has until now been considered the driving force behind the accelerating expansion of the universe. Using a new analysis method on 300 galaxies, the researchers discovered that supernovae in the early universe were on average weaker than thought, which may have distorted previous conclusions about accelerated expansion. If dark energy continues to decline and even becomes negative, the universe could end in a ‘big crunch’ — a reverse big bang where everything collapses again.
Fundamental revision of cosmological worldview
The findings turn current cosmological models upside down. Since the 1990s, it was believed that type 1a supernovae could serve as ‘standard candles’ to measure distances in the universe. These measurements led to the conclusion that the universe was accelerating. But according to Lee, a fundamental assumption was wrong: “It’s like buttoning a shirt wrong from the first button.” His team argues that the universe is still expanding, but at a slower pace. The influential DESI consortium reached similar conclusions earlier this year, reigniting debate over the nature of dark energy and the fate of the universe.
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Although the study is received with skepticism, British cosmologist Carlos Frenk calls the results “provocative and cannot simply be ignored”. The findings have been published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and, if confirmed, could lead to a fundamental revision of our cosmological worldview.
Bron: Space.com – The Guardian
