Albert Einstein created important math in the early 20th century to explain how gravity works in the Universe. This math is still useful today.
A large team of astronomers studied nearly 6 million galaxies. They looked at how these galaxies changed over 11 billion years.
The team found that gravity pulls galaxies together in a pattern called the cosmic web. This pattern matches what Einstein’s theory predicts.
These discoveries show that Einstein’s ideas are correct, both for large and small scales of the Universe.
The results were shared in three new papers on arXiv, a website for scientific papers.
Cosmologist Pauline Zarrouk said this test helps scientists understand how galaxies form and how gravity works on a grand scale.
The research is based on data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). This instrument has been mapping the Universe since 2019.
The DESI team hopes to learn more about dark matter and dark energy, which make up most of the Universe.
Vocabulary List:
- Cosmic /ˈkɒz.mɪk/ (adjective): Relating to the universe or cosmos especially as distinct from the Earth.
- Galaxies /ˈɡæl.ək.siːz/ (noun): Systems of stars stellar remnants interstellar gas dust and dark matter bound together by gravity.
- Gravity /ˈɡræv.ɪ.ti/ (noun): The force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth or toward any other physical body having mass.
- Instrument /ˈɪn.strə.mənt/ (noun): A tool or device used for a particular purpose especially for scientific work.
- Research /rɪˈsɜːrtʃ/ (noun): The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
- Spectroscopic /ˌspek.trəˈskɒp.ɪk/ (adjective): Relating to the technique of spectroscopy which involves the study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation.
How much do you know?
