Dark energy—the enigmatic force driving the acceleration of our universe's expansion—often leaves scientists with more questions than answers. However, a groundbreaking new study suggests a surprising link between black holes and dark energy, indicating that this mysterious force may not be as constant as we once thought. Published on August 21 in Physical Review Letters, this research leverages data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) to investigate a compelling hypothesis that proposes black holes transform the remnants of dead stars into dark energy.
This theory, known as the cosmologically coupled black hole (CCBH) hypothesis, posits that dark energy did not simply arise spontaneously in the universe. Instead, it is an inherent byproduct of the cosmic lifecycle, progressively accumulating as stars are born, evolve, and ultimately die following the Big Bang. This new perspective provides a framework that aligns well with existing data, establishing a connection between the rates of dark energy production and matter consumption, which correlates with the rate of star formation—a finding substantiated by observations from both the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope.
The CCBH model also addresses previous discrepancies between DESI data and terrestrial neutrino experiments. Earlier findings from DESI appeared to contradict the presence of neutrinos within the universe's mass budget. According to Gregory Tarlé, a co-author of the paper and a scientist at DESI, “This paper is fitting the data to a particular physical model for the first time, and it works well. It’s intriguing at the very least. I’d say ‘compelling’ would be a more accurate word, but we really try to reserve that in our field.”
Located in Arizona, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) plays a pivotal role in mapping the vast cosmos. Utilizing 5,000 robotic eyes, DESI can capture data on a different galaxy every 15 minutes. Since its launch in 2018, the instrument has successfully created an extraordinarily detailed 3D map of the universe, enabling physicists to draw groundbreaking conclusions regarding the nature of dark energy. However, DESI’s findings have also indicated that the quantity of matter in the universe today is less than it was in the past, creating a tension between the fields of cosmology and particle physics regarding the accurate interpretation of the early universe.
The CCBH model presents a straightforward solution to this tension. Astrophysicist Rogier Windhorst, a co-author of the study from Arizona State University, stated, “You find that the neutrino mass probability distribution points to not only a positive number but a number that’s entirely in line with ground-based experiments. I find this very exciting.” Furthermore, Duncan Farrah, a co-author and astrophysicist at the University of Hawaii, remarked that the model “quantifiably links phenomena you would not initially expect to be related.”
While the CCBH theory shows promise, it will require further investigation and validation within the scientific community, particularly as new findings from DESI emerge. With the advent of advanced instruments and diverse perspectives, we have entered a golden era for cosmology. This exciting period holds the potential for chaos and discovery—as the universe formed from the Big Bang, there is reason to believe that we, too, can navigate through the complexities of our cosmic understanding.
