Researchers have found surprising evidence that black holes may be an incubator for dark energy, suggesting that the force may not be as constant as previously believed. A new study published in Physical Review Letters uses data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to test a hypothesis that black holes convert dead star matter into dark energy.
The theory, known as the cosmologically coupled black hole (CCBH) hypothesis, proposes that dark energy is not a spontaneous phenomenon but rather an organic byproduct of cosmic processes. According to this framework, dark energy accumulates over time as stars form and die following the Big Bang.
This theory aligns with data from multiple sources, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, which have confirmed the link between star formation rates and dark energy production. Additionally, it resolves a previous dissonance between DESI data and Earth-bound neutrino experiments.
The study’s findings suggest that black holes play a crucial role in the creation of dark energy, potentially resolving some of the tension between cosmology and particle physics regarding the early universe. Further research is needed to confirm these results, but the discovery offers promising insights into one of the most pressing questions in modern astrophysics.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/black-holes-are-the-elusive-source-of-the-universes-dark-energy-study-argues-2000646919