New DESI findings could reshape understanding of dark energy

The latest data from DESI indicate that dark energy might not be constant. This mysterious force is responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe and keeps the ever-growing universe in check.

DESI, located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, is an international collaboration of over 900 scientists. In its first year of operation, DESI created the most accurate 3D map of the universe, enabling the tracking of its expansion over the past 11 billion years. The device collects light from over 30 million galaxies and breaks it down into spectra to analyze the colours of light. Based on this, it determines the so-called redshift, which indicates how much galaxies have moved away from Earth and allows their age and position in the universe's history to be established.

To explore these discoveries, scientists from Argonne National Laboratory used the supercomputer Aurora to conduct a simulation of the universe. These simulations are useful for testing different scenarios and help analyze data from DESI.

One of the main challenges in cosmology is differentiating real patterns in the data from distortions caused by data collection and analysis methods. Simulations provide a controlled environment for testing various theories.

Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy responsible for the accelerating rate of the universe's expansion. It accounts for about 68-70% of the universe's total energy, but it does not emit, absorb, or reflect light.

Simulations conducted by the Argonne team allow for quick responses to new discoveries in cosmology. Thanks to these, scientists can better understand whether observed patterns are the result of new physical phenomena or systematic errors.