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Re: Dark energy/matter



On Wednesday, Aug 6, 2003, at 06:43 US/Pacific, Michael N. Monce wrote:

The latest issue of Science News cites some more evidence from the
microwave background for the existence of "dark energy". It seems to
me
that if the evidence continues to build for this, and also for dark
matter, then these may be the two most important discoveries in recent
physics history.

What puzzles me is the what I perceive (maybe out of ignorance) as
a
lack of lot of theorists rushing to work on this. The implications for
dark matter/energy seem to me to way beyond astronomy and would impact
greatly elementary particle physics. Their existence, I would think,
puts
into question our whole ideas of the fundamental structure of nature.

Can anyone give me a good synopsis of what the current ideas as to
what this stuff is? Is it too new and bizarre that people haven't
really
had a chance to put something coherent together?

According to Michael Riordan (see Physics Today,
August, 2003, page 51) measurements, at least
in some areas of physics, are "theory laden." His
article, "Science Fashions and Science Facts;"
focuses on complexity of the term "real," in some
areas of advanced science.
Ludwik Kowalski