Dark energy is a mysterious force that makes up nearly 70% of the universe and drives the accelerated expansion of stars and galaxies. Scientists have long believed that dark energy is constant, but recent research has cast doubt on this idea. In early 2025, the American Physical Society presented findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), an international project that maps the spread of galaxies over the past 11 billion years. These findings have raised questions about whether dark energy is weakening, which could change the way the universe behaves.

The DESI results challenge the traditional view that dark energy remains constant. Some experts suggest that if dark energy is weakening, the universe might stop expanding and eventually collapse in a process known as the Big Crunch. On the other hand, if dark energy continues to be constant, the universe will keep expanding and become colder and emptier. While these results are important, researchers warn that more studies are needed to confirm them. Other space missions, such as the Euclid mission and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, will provide additional information. As technology advances, scientists expect to make even more significant discoveries about dark energy in the future.