Related papers: Apocalypse soon
A local void in the globally Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological model with the critical density ($\Omega_{0}=1$) is studied. The inhomogeneity is described using a Lema\^{\i}tre-Tolman-Bondi solution for a spherically symmetric…
We explore the fate of the universe given the possibility that the density associated with `dark energy' may decay slowly with time. Decaying dark energy is modeled by a homogeneous scalar field which couples minimally to gravity and whose…
We derive a model of dark energy which evolves with time via the scale factor. The equation of state $\omega=(1-2\alpha)/(1+2\alpha)$ is studied as a function of a parameter $\alpha$ introduced in this model. In addition to the recent…
The lower limit on the age of the universe derived from globular cluster dating techniques, which previously strongly motivated a non-zero cosmological constant, has now been dramatically reduced, allowing consistency for a flat matter…
The cosmological parameters that I discuss are the Hubble parameter $H_0 \equiv 100 h$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$, the age of the universe $t_0$, the average density $\Omega_0$, and the cosmological constant $\Lambda$. To focus the discussion,…
We classify the future of the universe for general cosmological models including matter and dark energy. If the equation of state of dark energy is less then -1, the age of the universe becomes finite. We compute the rest of the age of the…
The standard $\Lambda$ Cold Dark Matter cosmological model provides an amazing description of a wide range of astrophysical and astronomical data. However, there are a few big open questions, that make the standard model look like a…
A huge amount of good quality astrophysical data converges towards the picture of a spatially flat universe undergoing the today observed phase of accelerated expansion. This new observational trend is commonly addressed as Precision…
It is well known that a canonical scalar field is able to describe either dark matter or dark energy but not both. We demonstrate that a non-canonical scalar field can describe both dark matter and dark energy within a unified setting. We…
Dark energy and dark matter constitute 95% of the observable Universe. Yet the physical nature of these two phenomena remains a mystery. Einstein suggested a long-forgotten solution: gravitationally repulsive negative masses, which drive…
The suggestion that we occupy a privileged position near the centre of a large, nonlinear, and nearly spherical void has recently attracted much attention as an alternative to dark energy. Putting aside the philosophical problems with this…
Dark Matter that is composed of WIMP remnants of incomplete particle-antiparticle annihilation in the early universe experiences ongoing annihilation in gravitationally bound large scale structure. This annihilation will have important…
Recently there have been claims on model-independent evidence of dynamical dark energy. Herein we consider a fairly general class of cosmological models with a time-evolving cosmological term of the form $\Lambda(H)=C_0+C_H H^2+C_{\dot{H}}…
The dark energy plus cold dark matter ($\Lambda$CDM) cosmological model has been a demonstrably successful framework for predicting and explaining the large-scale structure of Universe and its evolution with time. Yet on length scales…
We investigate cosmological solutions of Brans-Dicke theory with both the vacuum energy density and the gravitational constant decaying linearly with the Hubble parameter. A particular class of them, with constant deceleration factor, sheds…
There is a deep cosmological mystery: although dependent on very different underlying physics, the timescales of structure formation, of galaxy cooling (both radiatively and against the CMB), and of vacuum domination do not differ by many…
The Standard Cosmological Model of the 1980's is no more. I describe the definitive evidence that the density of matter is insufficient to result in a flat universe, as well as the mounting evidence that the cosmological constant is not…
We present the interesting coincidence of cosmology and astrophysics that points toward a dimensionless age of the universe H_0*t_0 that is close to one. Despite cosmic deceleration for 9 Gyr and acceleration since then, we find H_0t*_0 =…
Experimental tests of homogeneous-universe classical standpoint cosmology are proposed after presentation of conceptual considerations that encourage this radical departure from the standard model. Among predictions of the new model are…
The cosmological parameters that I emphasize are the age of the universe $t_0$, the Hubble parameter $H_0 \equiv 100 h$ km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$, the average matter density $\Omega_m$, the baryonic matter density $\Omega_b$, the neutrino…