The runaway universe: the race to find the future of the cosmos

Abstract

The incredible story of two rival groups of brilliant astronomers seeking the mysterious number that will determine the future of the universe. }For decades, astronomers have sought to discover the ultimate fate of the univers. Will the cosmos continue forever in its expansion, which began billions of years ago with the bang? Or will gravity someday reverse the process, producing a big crunch? Within the past few years, two rival groups of astronomers have announced a discovery that seems to resolve the issue: Instead of slowing down, the expansion of the universe seems to be accelerating . This finding has shaken the science of cosmology to its very foundation. This is the story of the astronomers who have stood the world of cosmology on its ear--and of their competitive race to discover the future of the cosmos. It is also an investigation into whether their remarkable findings will stand the test of time. If the new results are verified in the coming years, we will eventually find ourselves in a runaway universe, in which every bit of matter is extremely far from its closest neighbor. Then the cosmological constant, which Einstein once rued as his greatest blunder, will turn out to be one of his finest insights into the nature of space itself.A vivid picture of an unexpected turn of events, The Runaway Universe presents the startling new discovery that is revolutionizing our view of the cosmos. }