Dark energy may not exist in space, scientists claim

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Dark matter and energy, the mysterious forces thought to make up 96 per cent   of the universe, may not exist according to a groundbreaking study.                                                                                         
                                                                                       
By Heidi Blake
Published: 7:30AM BST 15 Jun 2010               
                                                                                                  The studies into dark energy were made by physicists at Durham University                                Photo: PA                                                        
                                
                        
                        
British scientists have claimed that the method used to calculate the make-up   of the universe may be wrong.
                        
The universe as we know it – formed of recognisable components such as   planets, stars, asteroids and gas - accounts for just four per cent of the   cosmos, according to the decades old Standard  Model.
           
        
The rest is thought to be made up of mysterious dark matter and dark  energy. This permeates space and powers the expansion of the   universe.
But physicists at Durham University now claim the calculations on which the   Standard Model is based could be fatally flawed.
This raises the possibility that the “dark side” of the cosmos does not exist,   which in turn could mean that the universe is expanding less quickly than   previously thought.
Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society, which published the   findings, said: “This would challenge greatly our assumptions about the long   term future of the universe, because the assumption at the moment is that   the universe is expanding and if it isn’t that would be a huge shock.
“It could even mean that the expansion of the universe is slowing down and   could grind to a halt.”
A new analysis of measurements taken by NASA of Big Bang heat radiation in   2001 showed that the heat waves may be far smaller than previously thought.
When the measurements were first taken in 2001 the size of the ripples in the   Cosmic Microwave Background radiation led scientists to conclude that the   cosmos is made up of four percent "normal" matter, 22 percent "dark"   or invisible matter and 74 percent "dark" energy.
But scientists now claim that the waves of radiation which were previously   measured at about twice the size of the full moon may in fact be less than   half that size.
Professor Tom Shanks, who led the research, said: “CMB observations are a   powerful tool for cosmology and it is vital to check for systematic effects.   If our results prove correct then it will become less likely that dark   energy and exotic matter particles dominate the universe. So the evidence   that the universe has a dark side will weaken.”