Dark Energy
![An explosion in space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MDQ2ZKNVrQ8C69GsvxzcdN-320-80.jpg)
Dark energy is the name given to a mysterious force accelerating the universe's expansion. NASA estimates that dark energy makes up 68% of the universe, but while physicists can tell dark energy is real, they don't know much about it.
At Live Science, our expert writers and editors explain the latest findings from researchers studying this strange force. Whether it’s why dark energy could lead to a second (and third, and fourth) Big Bang, how the largest dark energy map could reveal the fate of the universe or if the expansion of the universe could be a mirage, you’ll find the latest dark energy news, features and articles right here.
Latest about Dark Energy
![A blue nebula looks like an eye in this NASA image](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkKiSmJvjEBiYivx98XW4F-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
The expansion of the universe could be a mirage, new theoretical study suggests
By Robert Lea published
New research looking at the cosmological constant problem suggests the expansion of the universe could be an illusion.
![A Hubble telescope image showing many bright white stars surrounded by larger orange stars on a canvas of black space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MkPxrFuT8NyUVS49r9XWdH-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Dark energy could lead to a second (and third, and fourth) Big Bang, new research suggests
By Paul Sutter published
Scientists have proposed a way that the universe could stop expanding, ending in a 'Big Crunch' that resets space and time as we know it.
![Artist depiction of a supernova explosion in space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xre97vzWfeatQDcbTzNZiA-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
What Is dark energy?
By Adam Mann last updated
Dark energy is the name physicists have given to the mysterious thing driving the universe's accelerated expansion. It may be a force or a form of energy, and one piece of evidence suggests it is hidden inside black holes.
![Star trails are seen over the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope on Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fzeHKemCoMrBXaesiVLciC-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Largest dark energy map could reveal the fate of the universe
By Tom Metcalfe published
A telescope in Arizona modified to measure the true distance of galaxies has produced the largest three-dimensional map of the universe ever.
![The Dark Energy Camera imaged 10 selected areas of the sky called deep fields. The multiple images of each provided astronomers with a glimpse of distant galaxies and how they are distributed throughout the universe.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BYo8uzQxWHXQxxdrAzAjzB-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Did a dark energy discovery just prove Einstein wrong? Not quite.
By Paul Sutter published
The Dark Energy Survey just released its most comprehensive results. But did they really prove Einstein wrong?
![magellanic cloud](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-320-80.jpeg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-450-80.jpeg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-500-80.jpeg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-650-80.jpeg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-840-80.jpeg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-970-80.jpeg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-1024-80.jpeg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/boAPUDCqR9vhm3F45tSfQP-1200-80.jpeg 1200w)
Dark energy camera takes hyper-detailed images of nearby dwarf galaxies
By Kasandra Brabaw published
New, stunningly detailed images of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the stars making up these two dwarf galaxies.
![This graphic shows a map of the universe's expansion rates in different directions, estimated in a new study by Konstantinos Migkas and collaborators. The map is in galactic coordinates, with the center looking toward the center of our galaxy. The black and purple colors show the directions of the lowest expansion rates (the Hubble constant); yellow and red show the directions of the highest expansion rates.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fekMqjpZrq8cgQvnS62Mhg-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Is there more than one dark energy?
By Paul Sutter published
What if there is more than one cosmological agent for dark energy? This mixture would have strange effects in our universe, making it potentially detectable with upcoming surveys.
![Dark Energy Abell Cluster 100819 02](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdafBpxVtkNoWLrfsbW2GX-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Dark Energy Is Real, Despite Claim to the Contrary
By Chelsea Gohd published
Researchers claim to have found serious fault with the existence of dark energy, but not everyone is buying into it.
Live Science newsletter
Stay up to date on the latest science news by signing up for our Essentials newsletter.