In 1998 it was announced that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. What does this imply from the perspective of the big bang?
2 Answers
After studying type 1a supernova far away astronomers have found that the universe is not only expanding but accelerating.
Explanation:
Type 1a supernovas are standard candles and can be used for calculating distances where Cepheid can not b e used..THe reason for a acceleration is dark energy an unknown force..This reduces the chances for a big crunch.
picrture credit en.wikipedia.com.
The implications of an expanding universe that is accelerating is that the universe will not reverse and never stop its expansion, so the universe will have an ending and had a beginning.
Explanation:
Before 1998 many people believed that the universe was eternally expanding and contracting. The so called rubber ball theory popularized by Asimov allowed the belief in an eternal self existent universe. That the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate rules out the rubber ball theory.
If the universe had a beginning and will have an ending it implies that there is something else that exists besides our universe that we can observe.
A purely material naturalistic world view ( material realism) demands that something material must be eternal. The evidence of an accelerating expansion has given rise to multi universe theories. Universes that are outside of our universe and can not be observed.
The accelerating expansion of the universe has given support for the theistic views that something besides material realism exists
