We recently wrote a news story about scientific puzzles that can’t seem to get solved but just won’t go away. One of these mysteries is dark matter, which can’t exist?but does. Astronomers think that dark matter is the “glue” that holds the universe together, except they can’t find any of it. But that doesn’t mean they’re not trying. They’re also studying another mystery known as dark energy.
Stephen Battersby writes in New Scientist that this mysterious force was created when the universe began. We know the universe is not only expanding, but is doing so at an accelerating rate. That means that dark energy can’t be a result of the Big Bang that supposedly was the beginning of everything, because if that was the case, the expansion would be slowing down.
Maggie McKee writes in New Scientist that astronomers now think that dark energy, which now forces the universe to expand, once drew it together. Therefore, dark energy and dark matter may be essentially the same thing.
Some of these answers may be found when a space probe known as Project Stardust returns to Earth on January 16. Don’t miss William’s interview with Donald Brownlee about this!
Art credit: gimp-savvy.com
Some mysteries are eternal, and probing them leads to even more questions, as well as great wisdom. One of these mysteries is what William Henry calls the anointing of the dove. Let’s face it, you’re not going to find information like this anywhere else. If you love us and want us to still be here in 2006, you need to support us: subscribe today.
To learn more, click here and here.
NOTE: This news story, previously published on our old site, will have any links removed.
Subscribers, to watch the subscriber version of the video, first log in then click on Dreamland Subscriber-Only Video Podcast link.