Scientists discovered dark energy 25 years ago. They're still trying to figure out what it is
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) will spend five years creating a 3-D map of the universe that will help reveal the nature of the dark energy driving cosmic expansion. The project's first six months of data show slivers of the universe that represent just 1 percent of the survey's ultimate volume of space. The colors represent different types of galaxies, including nearby bright galaxies in yellow, luminous red galaxies in magenta and galaxies with supermassive black holes in turquoise. (Source: “The Early Data Release of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument,” by DESI Collaboration et al.; 2023 (data); Graphic by Nadieh Bremer)
