The Force is strong with these two.
Posted on 02/20/2004 7:27:46 PM PST by neverdem
MARINA DEL REY, Calif., Feb. 20 — A dark, unseen energy permeating space is pushing the universe apart just as Einstein predicted it could in 1917, according to striking new measurements of distant exploding stars by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.
The energy, whose source remains unknown, was named the cosmological constant by Einstein. In a prediction he later called "my greatest blunder," but which received its most stringent test ever with the new measurements, Einstein posited a kind of antigravity force pushing galaxies apart with a strength that did not change over billions of years of cosmic history.
Theorists seeking to explain the mysterious force have suggested that it could, in fact, become stronger or weaker over time — either finally tearing the universe apart in a violent event called "the big rip" or shutting down in the distant future. If the force somehow shut down, gravity would again predominate in the cosmos and the universe would collapse on itself. That version of oblivion is sometimes called "the big crunch."
The new observations, which were led by Dr. Adam Riess at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, made the tightest measurements ever on the strength of the antigravity force over time. The observations relied on Hubble observations of the exploding stars, or supernovas, which are swept up in the dark energy's cosmic push.
But rather than seeing the changes in the push that many theorists had predicted, Einstein's steady, unchanging cosmological constant fits the data better than any of the alternatives.
"What we've found is that it looks like a semi-permanent kind of dark energy," Dr. Riess said. "It appears like it's been with us for a long time; if it is changing it's doing so slowly."
"Einstein's theory," Dr. Riess added, "is looking a lot better than before this data."
While the new results favor Einstein's nearly century-old prediction, they do not yet entirely rule out the stranger and more changeable forms of energy that some theorists have put forth. In particular, scientific proponents of the big rip, in which the energy would eventually become so powerful that it tears apart planets, stars and even atoms, have been left with some hope. But the data suggest, Dr. Riess said, that any ultimate cataclysm could not occur until well into the distant future, perhaps 30 billion years from now.
The measurements raise new questions about NASA's decision, which is now being reviewed, to let the Hubble Space Telescope die a slow death in space over the next several years rather than attempt another servicing mission with the space shuttle. NASA's administrator, Sean O'Keefe, has said that a servicing mission would be too risky in the wake of the disaster involving the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Dr. Riess said he disagreed with the decision to shut down the Hubble.
"The Hubble is an invaluable tool in the studies," he said. "Nothing else can contribute this kind of data. I think to stop doing this science with Hubble would be a very unfortunate choice."
Al Gore?
The Force is strong with these two.
Hell, I knew this back in 1998 when Gray Davis was elected governor of California.
You know, referring to God as semi-permanent doesn't look good on one's afterlife resume.
The figure of 55 billion years has appeared elsewhere. I hope it's not 30 billion as I plan on living a long time.
You haven't lived until you've experienced the "big rip".
I hate hearing that noise when I bend over.
I like the elegence of the big bang-big crunch cycle, over billions of years. Would that be the pulse of God?
I'll go with that one too.
Occasionally I experience a 'big rip'...
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