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Universe 'expanding like a rollercoaster'
The universe has expanded at vastly
different speeds through its history in a
pattern similar to the peaks and troughs of
a rollercoaster, scientists claim.
Over the last five billion years a mysterious
force known as dark energy has caused the
Universe to grow ever faster, gaining speed
as it continues to increase in size.
But a new study of an earlier period of
history has revealed that the younger
Universe was constrained by gravity and
expanded at a much slower rate.
About seven billion years ago its growth
pattern shifted as its energy grew and
caused the rapid acceleration which still
continues today, experts wrote in the
Astronomy & Astrophysics journal.
The international team of scientists were
able to measure the rate of expansion as
early as 11 billion years ago – three billion
years after the Big Bang – by measuring
the distribution of gas in distant regions of
the Universe.
Their findings are the first measurements
of the Universe's growth during the first
half of its history, before it began its
"growth spurt".
The universe has expanded at vastly
different speeds through its history in a
pattern similar to the peaks and troughs of
a rollercoaster, scientists claim.
Over the last five billion years a mysterious
force known as dark energy has caused the
Universe to grow ever faster, gaining speed
as it continues to increase in size.
But a new study of an earlier period of
history has revealed that the younger
Universe was constrained by gravity and
expanded at a much slower rate.
About seven billion years ago its growth
pattern shifted as its energy grew and
caused the rapid acceleration which still
continues today, experts wrote in the
Astronomy & Astrophysics journal.
The international team of scientists were
able to measure the rate of expansion as
early as 11 billion years ago – three billion
years after the Big Bang – by measuring
the distribution of gas in distant regions of
the Universe.
Their findings are the first measurements
of the Universe's growth during the first
half of its history, before it began its
"growth spurt".
