Dark energy researchers have confirmed Albert Einstein’s groundbreaking theory of gravity, which was first introduced in 1915. According to the theory, gravity is a curvature of space-time caused by mass and energy concentrations. A new study using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona has provided the most precise test to date of how gravity behaves at very large scales.
The researchers analyzed observations of 6 million galaxies, dating back 11 billion years, to track the growth of cosmic structure. They found that gravity acts as Einstein predicted, supporting his theory of general relativity. However, they also found evidence suggesting that dark energy may not be an unchangeable force but rather a dynamic and evolving component.
The study’s findings focus on the cosmic web, an interwoven network of filaments and walls with immense voids existing in between. This structure is a result of gravitational pull throughout the cosmos. The researchers concluded that their data favors a dynamical dark energy, which could change the future of the universe’s evolution.
Einstein’s theory of general relativity remains one of the most successful physical theories, but the discovery of an accelerating universe led to suggestions that it may need modification. However, the new study confirms that gravity behaves as Einstein foresaw. The researchers’ findings appear to corroborate the current standard model of cosmology, which includes the theory of general relativity.
The DESI collaboration involves over 900 researchers from more than 70 institutions worldwide and provides a significant contribution to our understanding of the universe’s structure and evolution.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/findings-by-dark-energy-researchers-back-einsteins-conception-gravity-2024-11-20