Scientists have long suspected a link between what powers black holes and the universe’s expansion, and a new theory has just added weight to that belief. This recent study suggests that dark energy may be connected to black holes, with the latter potentially driving the universe’s continuous growth.
The theory proposes that as more black holes emerged in “reverse replays of mini Big Bangs” across the universe, the influence of dark energy grew stronger and continues to evolve even today.
Since its discovery, dark energy has puzzled scientists, with its nature and origin still unknown. However, it is thought to be the driving force behind the acceleration of the expanding universe, making up about 70% of the cosmic matter-energy budget and dominating the cosmos.
A research team led by Professor Gregory Tarlé from the University of Michigan and researcher Kevin Croker from Arizona State University recently published a study in the *Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics*, suggesting a direct connection between dark energy and black holes, particularly regarding their formation and evolution.
Tarlé explained that the inflation process at the universe’s beginning might replay on a smaller scale within black holes, implying that when a massive star collapses, it transforms matter back into dark energy as it becomes a black hole.
“It’s possible that the process seen during inflation reverses here, where the matter of a massive star becomes dark energy again during gravitational collapse—like a mini Big Bang in reverse,” Tarlé told NDTV.
According to *Space.com*, Tarlé explained, “The cosmological coupling hypothesis suggests that black holes are linked to the expanding universe and contain dark energy that increases as the universe itself expands.”
The data is gathered by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which features 5,000 robotic eyes installed on the Mayall Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory.
These “eyes” enable astronomers to peer billions of years into the past, capturing precise data on the universe’s expansion rate. During the first year of a five-year study, DESI has revealed intriguing signs that dark energy density has increased over time. Scientists suggest this phenomenon could be a critical clue supporting the hypothesis that dark energy may be connected to black holes.
The team analyzed data from millions of distant galaxies, examining black hole formation rates over cosmic history and comparing them to dark energy behavior. According to Duncan Farrah, an associate professor of physics at the University of Hawaii, this observed link between black holes and dark energy strengthens the idea that black holes might be the source of dark energy.
Previous studies highlighted a connection between dark energy and black holes, particularly in supermassive black holes at galaxy centers. This paper stands out by focusing on younger black holes formed during peak periods of star and black hole formation.
