Dark Side Losing Grip

Galaxy Cluster 2XMM J083026+524133 taken by the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona. The blue glow is X-ray emission from gas at 100 million degrees K. The cluster was first discovered by the ESA's XMM Newton telescope. With a mass 1000 times that of our Milky Way, this is the most massive distant cluster yet found.

Discovery of this cluster has been claimed to be proof of 'Dark Energy.' The original paper makes no mention of DE, but the ESA Press Releasemakes the fantastic claim. The European Space Agency is trying to fund their own "Dark Energy" probe, so we can expect many other 'proofs' of its existence. Perhaps DE will be blamed for hurricanes.

Massive galaxy clusters like this are thought to be rare in the distant Universe. Finding a big one is thought to be due to DE, which would cause the Universe to pull apart in more recent times. According to their theories, the scientists do not expect to find any more. Their statement may sound foolish, for there could be many more big clusters out there. Since size of clusters is limited by a distance related to c, massive clusters indicate a changing speed of light.

In the Universe Today comments, we see how much ridicule DE claims get. Instead of the lone trolls that try to pester this blog, criticism of Dark Energy comes from all sides. While scientists compete for the biggest branes, their reputation continues to sink.

An upcoming paper by Jose Senovilla et al. in Physical Review D suggests that DE is a sympton of time itself slowing down. This is outwardly similiar to the work of David Wiltshire in New Zealand, whom Kea has pointed to. Lacking a mechanism, the Spanish team invokes the speculative world of "branes." Is the accelerated expansion evidence of a forthcoming change of signature on the brane? Slowing of time is mathematically equivalent to a changing speed of light.

GM = tc^3, a child could figure it out.