dark energy

Meaning

1. A hypothetical form of energy thought to be spread uniformly throughout space (and time) and to have anti-gravitational properties: it represents a possible mechanism for the cosmological constant, and thus is one of the possible explanations for the current accelerating rate of expansion of the universe; and it is estimated to account for about 74% of the mass-energy of the universe.

Etymology / origin

Coined by American cosmologist Michael Turner in 1998, in reference to the earlier term dark matter.

Sources

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