Astrophysicists Investigate Dark Matter and Dark Energy Dynamics

Astrophysicists from the University of Chicago are making strides in understanding dark matter and dark energy, which constitute about 95% of the universe's mass-energy content. Their recent work, part of the Dark Energy Survey, involved measuring the shapes of over 150 million galaxies across a significant area of the sky to refine the Lambda-CDM model of cosmology.

This model has faced inconsistencies between measurements of the nearby universe and those from the early universe derived from the cosmic microwave background. The team utilized gravitational lensing to investigate the mass distribution in the universe.

Their findings suggest that the growth of cosmic structures aligns with the predictions of the Lambda-CDM model, alleviating some tensions around previous measurements. Additionally, a method known as time-delay cosmography was highlighted, which allows for improved measurements of the universe's expansion rate, addressing the ongoing Hubble tension.

This approach uses gravitational lensing to measure light travel time from distant quasars, indicating a potential new physics scenario if discrepancies in expansion rates persist. Overall, these investigations into dark matter and dark energy dynamics are crucial for advancing cosmological theories and understanding the universe's evolution.