The cosmological constant may drive the universe's accelerated expansion from "summary" of The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene
According to our current understanding of the universe, the expansion that began with the Big Bang continues today. Scientists initially believed that this expansion would gradually slow down due to the mutual gravitational pull of all the matter in the cosmos. However, recent observations have revealed that the universe's expansion is actually accelerating rather than slowing down. This unexpected discovery has led scientists to consider the possibility that some mysterious force, known as the cosmological constant, may be driving this accelerated expansion. The cosmological constant was first proposed by Albert Einstein in his theory of general relativity. Initially, Einstein included the cosmological constant in his equations to achieve a static universe, as was the prevailing belief at the time. However, after the discovery of the expanding universe, Einstein abandoned the cosmological constant, referring to it as his "biggest blunder." In the late 1990s, astronomers studying distant supernovae made a groundbreaking observation that the universe's expansion was not only continuing but accelerating. This unexpected finding reignited interest in the cosmological constant as a possible explanation for this accelerated expansion. The cosmological constant is thought to be a form of dark energy, a mysterious force that permeates the universe and counteracts the attractive force of gravity, causing the universe to expand at an ever-increasing rate. While the exact nature of dark energy and the cosmological constant remains a mystery, scientists continue to study its effects on the universe's evolution. Understanding the role of the cosmological constant in driving the universe's accelerated expansion is crucial for comprehending the ultimate fate of the cosmos. As scientists delve deeper into this mysterious force, new insights into the nature of the universe and its evolution are sure to emerge.
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