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Dark energy 'imaged' in best detail yet
New Scientist ^ | 5/23/08

Posted on 05/23/2008 5:09:20 PM PDT by LibWhacker

Some had hoped it might be just an illusion. But it looks like dark energy is real and here to stay, as astronomers "image" the mysterious entity in action.

In 1998, astronomers found that distant supernovae were dimmer, and thus farther away, than expected. This suggested that the expansion of the universe is accelerating – and "dark energy" was named as the culprit.

Since then, astronomers have struggled to explain what dark energy actually is – leading some to speculate that it may not exist at all...

(Excerpt) Read more at space.newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: dark; energy; imaged

1 posted on 05/23/2008 5:09:20 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker

Supervoids of empty space (blue) and superclusters of galaxies (red) were slightly cooler or warmer, respectively, than expected in maps of the cosmic microwave background because of dark energy (Illustration: Granett/Neyrinck/Szapudi/NASA/SDSS)

2 posted on 05/23/2008 5:24:46 PM PDT by null and void (The one word of Chinese our congress really understands is 'kowtow')
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To: LibWhacker

There’s never been a “big bang”, the universe is not expanding, and if dark matter or dark energy could be detected, it would not be dark. For that matter if the stuff were actually 95% of the universe as claimed, you’d be vacuuming it up off your carpets four or five times a day.


3 posted on 05/23/2008 5:32:40 PM PDT by wendy1946
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To: LibWhacker

4 posted on 05/23/2008 5:39:01 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (The road to hell is paved with euphemisms.)
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To: wendy1946

That’s all we need is a “newbie” that knows everything. Stand over by that wall. That is where we keep the weirdos.


5 posted on 05/23/2008 5:40:03 PM PDT by fish hawk (Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.)
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To: wendy1946; judywillow
There’s never been a “big bang”, the universe is not expanding, and if dark matter or dark energy could be detected, it would not be dark. For that matter if the stuff were actually 95% of the universe as claimed, you’d be vacuuming it up off your carpets four or five times a day.

In other news, the earth is flat! Film at 11.

6 posted on 05/23/2008 5:45:03 PM PDT by Coyoteman (Religious belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge.)
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To: wendy1946

The universe is supposedly only 70% dark energy (4% normal matter, the rest dark matter). The universe is mostly empty space, since matter tends to clump together because of gravity. If dark energy exists, it tends to spread out evenly instead, because it has negative gravity. That means there would be very little dark energy locally, but adding up all the much larger empty voids (empty of matter, not dark energy) makes it the dominant force.


7 posted on 05/23/2008 5:45:46 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: wendy1946

Wendy

I agree. There is a defect in the speed of light over millions of years. This defect, or the observation called the red shift, has led to the misunderstanding that the universe is expanding. The universe is in a steady state condition and has always been and always will be. Although there have already been two Nobel Prizes awarded for observation of the remnants of the Big Bang, it will not be the first time or last (hello Al Gore) that the Nobel has been awarded for bogus reasons. Cosmologists are always debating the number of angels on the head of a pin.


8 posted on 05/23/2008 5:46:43 PM PDT by bennowens
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To: bennowens

Yep


9 posted on 05/23/2008 5:48:32 PM PDT by kjam22 (see me play the guitar here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noHy7Cuoucc)
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To: LibWhacker

My theory is simple. Our whole universe is actually the inside of a black hole. The “big bang” is when the hole formed and the expansion is really due the hole getting more massive thereby pulling in more debris increasing its rate of growth.


10 posted on 05/23/2008 5:49:47 PM PDT by Nateman (RINO leaders have less opposition thereby maximizing damage!)
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To: LibWhacker

Don’t put the check in the mail yet says the article,
“He also notes that Szapudi’s team observed a temperature effect that was stronger than expected from dark energy. “This could be a hint that there may be something else happening here that’s worth investigating,” he says.”
Ya mean we don’t know the whole story yet? ahhh..no.


11 posted on 05/23/2008 5:56:17 PM PDT by count-your-change (you don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: null and void
Supervoids of empty space (blue) and superclusters of galaxies (red) were slightly cooler or warmer, respectively,

OH NO!!!!


GALACTIC WARMING!
and
GALACTIC COOLING!!
WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!!!!!!!!!
Bush's fault!

12 posted on 05/23/2008 5:58:25 PM PDT by Tanniker Smith ("We have top men working on it." "Who?" "Top. Men.")
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To: bennowens
it will not be the first time or last (hello Al Gore) that the Nobel has been awarded for bogus reasons. Cosmologists are always debating the number of angels on the head of a pin.

You do understand the Peace Prize is awarded by government of Norway whereas the others from a Swedish foundation, or don't you? I suspect you don't.

13 posted on 05/23/2008 5:59:01 PM PDT by LoneRangerMassachusetts
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To: wendy1946; Alamo-Girl; betty boop
"There’s never been a “big bang”, the universe is not expanding, and if dark matter or dark energy could be detected, it would not be dark."

Pretty bold claims. When are you going to publish your authoritative paper in the peer-reviewed proceedings of a major scientific conference?

14 posted on 05/23/2008 6:30:04 PM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...!!)
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To: wendy1946

the universe is not expanding,

Wendy, wendy, wendy, of course the universe is expanding,
and do you know why?

Because it’s trying to get away from Chuck Norris!

There, now go back to your vacuuming.


15 posted on 05/23/2008 6:36:14 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: wendy1946
Thanks for clearing that up. The scientists who study these phenomena can now turn to more pressing matters,
16 posted on 05/23/2008 8:20:36 PM PDT by Octar
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To: Octar

Golf is a more pressing matter than studying “dark matter(TM)”...


17 posted on 05/23/2008 8:22:25 PM PDT by wendy1946
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To: TXnMA

Thanks for the ping!


18 posted on 05/23/2008 9:16:13 PM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: wendy1946
Golf is a more pressing matter than studying “dark matter(TM)”...

Or apparently, for some, drinking heavily then getting on the internet on Friday nights....

19 posted on 05/23/2008 9:32:30 PM PDT by Yossarian (Everyday, somewhere on the globe, somebody is pushing the frontier of stupidity...)
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To: wendy1946

Ten thousand years ago I’ll bet there was a caveman named Og whose wife would always scream at him, “Stop fooling around with that wheel and go get me a woolly mammoth!” I’m glad Og ignored her.


20 posted on 05/24/2008 2:21:15 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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