Dark energy, the mysterious force that's driving the accelerating expansion of the universe, may not actually exist, scientists say. Their research has brought into question one of the cornerstones of modern cosmology.
In a new study, published Dec. 19, 2024 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the researchers analyzed data from the Pantheon+ survey — the most comprehensive dataset of type Ia supernovae, whose consistent brightness allows astronomers to measure distances across the universe with incredible precision. Their analysis suggests that what we perceive as acceleration might be an illusion caused by the large-scale structure of the cosmos.
