Scientists say they are closer than ever to understanding dark energy, the mysterious force driving the universe’s accelerated expansion.
Researchers have produced the most detailed picture yet of the so-called “dark universe,” offering fresh insight into how dark energy shapes cosmic history.
The findings come from the Dark Energy Survey (DES), which analysed six years of observations collected between 2013 and 2019.
The survey relied on the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the Victor M. Blanco Telescope in Chile. Over 758 nights, scientists mapped nearly 669 million galaxies, spanning billions of light-years.
Four Methods Combined for the First Time
For the first time, researchers combined four independent techniques into one unified analysis:
- Supernova observations
- Weak gravitational lensing
- Galaxy clustering
- Baryon acoustic oscillations
This approach doubled the precision of measurements linked to dark energy’s behaviour.
Quantum physics reveals that what we call “solid” matter is really made of energy, emptiness, and probability — not matter.
Let's break it down.
The world feels solid — your body, your desk, the ground. But zoom in far enough, and it all falls apart.
At the atomic scale,… pic.twitter.com/HbLhLvq6Vw
— Shining Science (@ShiningScience) January 18, 2026Why Dark Energy Matters
Dark energy accounts for roughly 68% of the universe’s total energy. Scientists first identified it in 1998 while studying distant supernovae.
Those observations showed that the universe’s expansion is accelerating, not slowing down as once believed. Despite decades of research, scientists still do not know why dark energy became dominant several billion years after the Big Bang.
Findings Support Standard Cosmology
The new analysis aligns with the standard cosmological model, known as Lambda Cold Dark Matter. At the same time, it confirms growing questions about how matter clusters in today’s universe.
"Physics can explain so much of the universe, and yet so much remains unknown.”
Angela Olinto on the mysteries that hooked her into astrophysics:
What is dark matter? What is dark energy? What can black hole & neutron star collisions reveal?
Listen Now↘️ https://t.co/4X0i0Y8GJO pic.twitter.com/FCAfaa6nvg
— Alliance Program (@AllianceProg) January 26, 2026Researchers used the data to reconstruct how matter has spread across space over the past six billion years. Scientists plan to combine DES findings with future observations from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.
The facility is expected to map billions more galaxies. These observations could offer an even clearer picture of the universe’s hidden structure.
While dark energy remains unexplained, the latest study marks a major step forward. Researchers say improved data and stronger methods bring science closer to uncovering one of the universe’s deepest secrets.
