February 25, 2004
SURVEY SAYS?!:
Was Einstein Right After All (SpaceDaily, Feb 24, 2004)
The good news from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is that Einstein was right--maybe. A strange form of energy called "dark energy" is looking a little more like the repulsive force that Einstein theorized in an attempt to balance the universe against its own gravity. Even if Einstein turns out to be wrong, the universe's dark energy probably won't destroy the universe any sooner than about 30 billion years from now, say Hubble researchers."Right now we're about twice as confident than before that Einstein's cosmological constant is real, or at least dark energy does not appear to be changing fast enough (if at all) to cause an end to the universe anytime soon," says Adam Riess of the Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore. [...]
Currently, there are two leading interpretations for the dark energy, as well as many more exotic possibilities. It could be an energy percolating from empty space as Einstein's theorized "cosmological constant," an interpretation which predicts that dark energy is unchanging and of a prescribed strength.
An alternative possibility is that dark energy is associated with a changing energy field dubbed "quintessence." [...]
If the repulsion from dark energy is or becomes stronger than Einstein's prediction, the universe may be torn apart by a future "Big Rip," during which the universe expands so violently that first the galaxies, then the stars, then planets, and finally atoms come unglued in a catastrophic end of time. Currently this idea is very speculative, but being pursued by theorists.
At the other extreme, a variable dark energy might fade away and then flip in force such that it pulls the universe together rather then pushing it apart.
This would lead to a "big crunch" where the universe ultimately implodes. "This looks like the least likely scenario at present," says Riess.
Of course it's constant--as Einstein said: "When the answer is simple, God is answering." Posted by Orrin Judd at February 25, 2004 8:15 AM
The irony is that it was Hubble who convinced Einstein he was wrong.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 25, 2004 8:52 AM"An alternative possibility is that dark energy is associated with a changing energy field dubbed 'quintessence.'"
So the universe is held together by a perfume?
Posted by: Rick T. at February 25, 2004 11:04 AMRick T:
Actually I knew that, but I always thought it was called "Eternity".
Posted by: Peter B at February 25, 2004 11:46 AMThe universe is held together by a Marvel Comics character? Well, at least it isn't Galactus.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at February 25, 2004 1:02 PMBest discussion I know is Gordon Kane's "Supersymmetry."
I especially like the last chapter, where he demolishes a good many arguments that make appearances here frequently.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at February 25, 2004 1:31 PMEasterbrook had a good comment on this on his Blog at tnr.com.
Posted by: Foos at February 25, 2004 8:24 PM