Nearly 3,000 exploding stars challenge our understanding of the Universe
A massive analysis of 2,884 exploding stars has uncovered new evidence that dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating the universe’s expansion, may change over time. The findings challenge a cornerstone of modern cosmology and could reshape our understanding of how the universe works.
Key points
- Researchers compiled observations of 2,884 Type Ia supernovae into the largest dataset of its kind.
- The data suggest dark energy may change over time rather than remaining constant as the standard cosmological model assumes.
- A separate project, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, has also found hints of variation in dark energy.
An international team led by scientists at the University of Queensland's School of Mathematics and Physics has assembled the largest collection of exploding white dwarf stars ever compiled. The dataset combines observations of 2,884 Type Ia supernovae and offers fresh evidence that dark energy, the force behind the Universe's accelerating expansion, may change over time.
The findings challenge a central assumption of modern cosmology, which treats dark energy as a fixed property of the Universe. The work brings together historical supernova measurements and results from the Dark Energy Survey published in 2024.
How the dataset was built
PhD candidate Ryan Camilleri said the project sets a new international standard for supernova cosmology. To make observations from different periods comparable, the scientists revisited older data using updated analytical methods and improved understanding of supernova behavior.
The team also accounted for differences among the telescopes used and for factors such as cosmic dust, galaxy mass and gravitational lensing, the bending and magnification of light around large objects as it travels to Earth.
We've rebuilt 3 decades of astronomical observations into a single, consistent framework
— Ryan Camilleri
What researchers said
Astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis said the 2024 Dark Energy Survey supernova data first showed hints that dark energy may vary with time, and the new compilation also deviates from the standard model, though in a slightly different direction. She noted that the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument found similar hints in its surveys of relic sound waves from the early Universe.
Researchers plan to expand the dataset, including through the Dark Energy Bedrock All-Sky Supernova program, which is identifying hundreds of supernovae closer to Earth than those surveyed by the Dark Energy Survey.
