For years, we believed the universe was racing apart faster and faster. That discovery earned a Nobel Prize and formed our current understanding of the cosmos. But now, according to a new study reported by The Guardian, that view may have been wrong, and the expansion of the universe is actually slowing down.
Could the Universe Stop Expanding One Day?
If these findings turn out to be correct, they could revolutionise our understanding of the universe and its fate: instead of continuing to expand indefinitely, the universe may ultimately reach a point where it stops expanding and starts contracting – an eventual "Big Crunch", the counterpart to the Big Bang. The study also casts doubt on dark energy, the enigmatic force believed to be behind cosmic acceleration. Researchers said it might be weakening over time, losing the force that once pushed galaxies apart.
What did the researchers find out about dark energy?
The study was led by Professor Young-Wook Lee of Yonsei University in South Korea who says that their data indicates the universe has already entered into a period of slower expansion. He said that dark energy may change more quickly with time than had been thought. If this holds true, it would mark a major shift in cosmology since dark energy was first proposed 27 years ago.
The findings challenge long-standing assumptions that have guided cosmological studies since the late 1990s. Professor Lee compared the situation to “buttoning the first button of a shirt incorrectly”, suggesting that early mistakes may have shaped decades of understanding.
Why do these findings divide astronomers?
Skepticism is expected among scientists, as the results question decades of accepted data. Earlier this year, the Desi Consortium, another leading research group, reported similar results, sparking a renewed debate on the true nature of dark energy.
The new study also questions the reliability of earlier measurements of Type Ia supernovae — the exploding stars once used to prove the universe’s acceleration. Astronomers had assumed these supernovae emitted similar brightness, using them as “standard candles” to measure cosmic distances. When distant ones appeared dimmer than expected, it was taken as evidence that the universe’s expansion was speeding up.
However, Professor Lee’s team used a new method to study 300 host galaxies and estimate their ages. Their analysis revealed that older supernovae might be slightly less luminous. After adjusting for that effect, the results suggest the universe is still expanding, but more slowly than thought.
What does this mean for the future of the cosmos?
The research proposes that dark energy could be weakening, and if it eventually becomes negative, the universe might stop expanding altogether and collapse in a “Big Crunch”.
Professor Carlos Frenk of Durham University, who was not part of the study, described the results as “interesting and challenging.” He noted that even if they turn out to be wrong, they deserve close attention.
Nearly three decades after the discovery of dark energy, the debate over the universe’s true fate is once again wide open — and this time, the answer might not be speeding away but slowing down.
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