The results of the study show that black holes are growing faster than expected, according to measurements of ancient and dormant galaxies. This is consistent with the phenomenon predicted in Einstein’s theory of gravity. Black holes gain mass to accommodate the vacuum energy, which is the source of dark energy, and eliminates the need to create singularities at their centers.

The concept of dark energy emerged in the 1990s when it was discovered that the expansion of the universe was accelerating. The gravitational force between all objects in the universe should be slowing down the expansion, but it has been suggested that “dark energy” is responsible for pulling objects apart more strongly than gravity. This concept was related to a concept proposed by Einstein called the “cosmological constant”, which opposes gravity and prevents the universe from collapsing.

More about the study

The scientists looked at a special type of galaxy called giant elliptical galaxies, which develop in the early universe and then go into a resting state. Comparing observations of distant galaxies (when young) with local elliptical galaxies (old and dead) showed much greater growth than predicted by accretion or mergers; before.

Further measurements of the respective galaxy populations at different stages of the universe’s evolution showed a good match between the size of the universe and the mass of black holes.

First author Duncan Farrah, a University of Hawaii astronomer and former graduate student at Imperial University, said:

We want to say two things at once: there is evidence that typical solutions for black holes do not work on long time scales, and we have the first proposed astrophysical source for dark energy.

Why is this important?

The team’s findings potentially mean that nothing new needs to be added to our picture of the universe to explain dark energy: its source is black holes combined with Einstein’s gravity. Co-author of the study, STFC RAL Space’s Dr. According to Chris Pearson, “If the theory is confirmed, it will revolutionize the whole of cosmology, because we will finally have an answer to the confusing question of the origin of dark energy.” cosmologists and theoretical physicists for over 20 years.”