For years, have physicists believed the universe is expanding equally in all directions, and used the concept of "dark energy" to explain this. Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, Olivia C. Jones (UK ATC), Guido De Marchi (ESTEC), Margaret Meixner (USRA) Image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Nolan Habel (USRA), Laura Lenkić (USRA), Laurie E. U. Chu (NASA Ames)
New research by Canterbury University scientists suggests that dark energy doesn't actually exist.
For years, physicists have believed the universe was expanding equally in all directions, and used the concept of "dark energy" to explain this.
Now, a team of New Zealand physicists led by Professor David Wiltshire analysed light curves from the Pantheon+ supernovae to show the universe was expanding in a "lumpier" way.
The new study - published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society - showed the idea of "dark energy" isn't needed at all.
Instead, it proposed a different model - called timescape cosmology - to understand the evolution of the universe.
The scientists said the findings - together with new data - implied "profound consequences" for cosmology and astrophysics, and may help resolve the universe's biggest mystery within five years.
Research by the New Zealand scientists was supported by the Marsden Fund, which earlier this year announced changes to its terms of reference that have been roundly criticised by the science community.
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