Dark Energy: The Force Driving the Universe’s Expansion

Dark energy makes up about 68% of the universe—yet its nature remains a mystery.
It acts as a repulsive force, driving galaxies apart at an accelerating rate.
In 1998, supernova studies revealed the universe’s expansion is speeding up, not slowing down.
Dark energy is far stronger on cosmic scales than gravity’s pull.
Some theories describe it as energy built into space itself.
It may be linked to Einstein’s “cosmological constant,” once thought to be a mistake.
Dark energy shapes the ultimate fate of the cosmos—whether endless expansion or a “big rip.”
Precision measurements of the cosmic microwave background support its existence.
Telescopes and galaxy surveys map dark energy’s effects across billions of years.
Solving the mystery of dark energy is one of modern science’s greatest challenges.