Does dark energy really exist? Our work identifies cracks in the foundations of today's ...

Theory Briefing

• Einstein introduced the cosmological constant to explain a static universe, then abandoned it — now it underpins all of dark energy theory.
• New research claims to find cracks in the foundational assumptions behind the cosmological constant, reopening the question of whether dark energy exists at all.
• If dark energy is wrong, the standard model of cosmology — built on decades of observation — may need a fundamental rethink.
• The cosmological constant is the leading explanation for the universe's accelerating expansion, a Nobel Prize-winning discovery now under challenge.