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the expandng universe. Albert Einstein is the greatest scientist of the twentieth
century who pioneered what today is known as physics. ...
Submitted by adams059 on July 1, 2006
Category: Science
Words: 982 | Pages: 4
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Albert Einstein is the greatest scientist of the twentieth century who pioneered what today is known as physics. He concluded that an unknown force - which he labeled the "cosmological constant" - was counteracting gravity and keeping the universe in a constant steady state. However, science progresses and in 1929 Edwin Hubble (after whom the famous telescope is named after) discovered that Einstein was wrong and that the universe in fact wasn’t in a constant steady state, but expanding and called it the “Big Rip” theory. The Big Rip theory argues that because the universe is accelerating –and it is-- faster in its expansion, “Dark Energy” will grow even stronger and expand infinitely. Although there is still much controversy over the ultimate fate of the universe, the evidence is mounting for the Big Rip theory. The ultimate destiny of our expanding universe depends largely on the evidence of type Ia supernovae and the leftover radiation it leaves. Considering the evidence of supernovae and weighing the evidence of strong anti-gravity (i.e. “Dark Energy”) one can more reasonable conclude that the universe is expanding and will likely expand to infinity.
One argument or reason in support of the Big Rip theory that the universe is expanding is Dark Energy. This energy makes up roughly 70% of the universe and is an invisible component of the universe that is completely unlike matter or radiation. Although cosmologists have proposed many possibilities for extra components (beginning with Einstein's cosmological constant), until recently there was no compelling observational evidence for adding another component to the universe. Prior to the discovery of dark energy, most theories of cosmology were based upon a universe composed only of matter and radiation; however in 1998 cosmologists suggested that the expansion of the universe was accelerating.
At this time cosmologists are trying to figure out the possible candidates for dark...
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