Research papers Published by Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) reveals the most precise measurement of the universe's expansion

Posted 09 Apr 2024

2 min read

Key Highlights:
- It found that the universe is expanding at a rate of 68.5 (±0.6) kilometers per second per megaparsec (a million parsec; 1 parsec equals 3.2616 light years).
  - In a first, scientists have measured expansion history of the young universe with a precision better than 1%.
- To study dark energy's effects over past 11 billion years, DESI has created largest 3D map of the universe.

According to leading model of the universe called the Lambda CDM (Cold Dark Matter), both matter and dark energy shape how the universe expands – but in opposing ways.
- Matter and dark matter slow the expansion down, while dark energy speeds it up.

Dark Energy & Dark Matter both make up the majority (around 95%) of the universe.
- Dark Energy, making up 68% of universe, is an unknown form of energy that is causing the universe to expand at an accelerated rate.
- Dark Matter is a hypothetical form of matter that cannot be directly observed, but its existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter and background radiation in the universe.
  - It makes up about 27% of the universe.

DESI is the product of an international collaboration that brings together researchers from more than 70 institutions (including from India).
- It is a ground-based dark energy experiment which measures the effect of dark energy on universe expansion.
DESI is located on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory (USA).

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