Connecting Dark Energy with Space

In this episode, we will explore the connection between dark energy and space. Scientific research suggests that dark energy constitutes about 79% of the total energy present in the universe. 

It is referred to as "dark" because it cannot be directly detected, yet its presence is undeniable. Without dark energy, the universe would not be able to sustain itself; there would be no space as we know it. 

We will give a fresh perspective on the source of dark energy - showing it operates within the framework of time. We will see how dark energy is the source which drives the formation and ongoing expansion of space. 

We do hope you have enjoyed this episode. 

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jayant@staminteractive.com

Transcript

In this episode, we will explore the connection between dark energy and space. Scientific research suggests that dark energy constitutes about 79% of the total energy present in the universe. It is referred to as "dark" because it cannot be directly detected, yet its presence is undeniable. Without dark energy, the universe would not be able to sustain itself; there would be no space as we know it. We will give a fresh perspective on the source of dark energy - showing it operates within the framework of time. We will see how dark energy is the source which drives the formation and ongoing expansion of space. 

Let's begin by reviewing our current understanding of dark energy.

Current Understanding of Dark Energy? 

Cosmologists understand that gravity acts as an attractive force between galaxies, which should theoretically pull them closer together. Based on this, one might expect the space between galaxies to shrink as they are drawn toward each other by gravity. However, observations have revealed the opposite: instead of contracting, the space between galaxies is expanding, and galaxies are moving farther apart.

This unexpected expansion suggests that there must be a force at work that overcomes gravity, pushing galaxies away from each other. This force appears to be much stronger than the gravitational pull that would otherwise bring galaxies together. To drive this expansion, a significant amount of energy is required.

The source of this mysterious outward force is what scientists call "dark energy." Dark energy is believed to be responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe. While its effects are observed through the movement of galaxies, the true nature and composition of dark energy remain unknown. It is distinct from the types of energy we are familiar with, such as visible light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation like gamma rays and X-rays. To date, researchers have been unable to directly detect or identify dark energy, and it continues to be one of the greatest mysteries in cosmology.

Spacetime vs. Space

To grasp the concept of dark energy, it is essential first to understand some of the fundamental term’s scientists use to describe the universe. One term that often causes confusion is “spacetime,” introduced by Albert Einstein. Many people wonder about the distinction between “space” and “spacetime”. 

What is Space?

Space is the three-dimensional arena that we directly observe and interact with. Whenever we describe where things are, we do so in terms of distances: for example, “the tree is 200 feet away,” or “the airplane is at an altitude of 30,000 feet.” Space is tangible, visible, and inherently tied to measurements of length, width, and height—our familiar three dimensions.

What is Spacetime? 

Unlike our tangible experience of space, spacetime is a much more abstract concept. When Albert Einstein first proposed the idea of spacetime, he described it as having four dimensions: three dimensions of space, and a fourth dimension of time. This is where confusion often arises. It prompts a fundamental question: Where does this fourth dimension, time, actually exist?

If time were to function within the same framework as the three spatial dimensions, we would be forced to accept that space itself has four dimensions. However, this contradicts our understanding of space as something that is inherently three-dimensional. In reality, the fourth dimension—time—does not operate within the realm of space itself.

So, if time is not a property of physical space, where does it truly reside? Upon careful examination, the only logical conclusion is that time and its fabric operate within the mind. The fourth dimension is not something external to us; rather, it is an internal construct, a feature of our mental processes. Although this perspective may initially seem counterintuitive, it reveals a profound truth.

Vedanta addresses this point directly. The Sanskrit word Kāla (meaning time) is understood within Vedanta as fundamentally a function of the mind. In my book, Science Meets Vedanta, I explore this idea in the essay “Understanding Time,” where I systematically argue that time is not an external phenomenon, but an internal, mental construct.

Einstein described the universe as being woven into a foundational “fabric”—what is commonly called spacetime. Every object, whether minuscule like an ant or immense like a planet, is said to sit upon this spacetime fabric. But what truly makes up this fabric? Science offers little definitive clarity. If you search for images of spacetime fabric, you will find that these depictions almost always suggest that the fabric is made up primarily of time. The phrase “spacetime fabric” can be misleading; it is often more accurate to call it the “time fabric,” emphasizing that time is the essential variable at play. For clarity, we will use the term “time fabric” instead of “spacetime fabric” moving forward.

Ultimately, time—and by extension, the time fabric—exists and functions solely within the mind.

Time as the Foundation of Space

Allow me to put forth a striking idea: time is the origin of space. In other words, time acts as the cause, while space is its effect. Without the existence of time, there would be no space at all. 

Scientific research estimates that our universe is about 13.7 billion years old. Imagine light traveling from the farthest edge of the universe toward us; it would take 13.7 billion years to reach us. The distance light travels in a single year is known as a light-year. If you do the calculations, you will find that one light year is equal to 9.46 trillion kilometers. So, light from the universe’s edge travels 13.7 billion light-years to get here. This enormous distance essentially defines the size of our universe.

Connecting the Age and Size of the Universe

Let’s experiment with how the universe’s age relates to its size. Suppose the universe is exactly 13.7 billion years old right now. This means its size is 13.7 billion light-years. One second later, the universe’s age becomes 13.7 billion years plus one second. In that second, light needs to travel an additional 186,000 miles. Therefore, the universe’s size increases by 186,000 miles, making it 13.7 billion light-years plus 186,000 miles.

After 10 seconds, the age of the universe is 13.7 billion years and 10 seconds, and the universe grows by 1,860,000 miles in size. If a whole year passes, the universe is now 13.7 billion years plus one year, and the size of the universe has increased by exactly one more light-year. 

The Expansion of Space Driven by Time

These observations make it clear: as the universe grows older, its size increases. Every second that passes, space becomes larger by 186,000 miles. Each year, the universe expands by one light-year. This straightforward relationship shows that the passage of time is directly responsible for the expansion of space.

As long as time continues, space will keep expanding. This leads to a remarkable conclusion—time is the very source of space. In essence, time is constantly generating new space.

So, when will space cease to expand? The answer is simple: when time itself stops. And when will that happen? No one can say for certain. But it’s reasonable to think that the end of time would coincide with the end of the universe itself. When time halts, the universe’s expansion will stop as well.

Framework of the Time Fabric

Since the fabric of time is made up of time itself, it must have both a beginning and an end. The starting point of time can be marked as t = 0 on this fabric. At present, the endpoint aligns with the current age of the universe—roughly 13.7 billion years on this timeline. As time moves forward, the fabric stretches and lengthens, expanding with every passing moment. When the universe first came into existence, this fabric was incredibly short; now, it spans 13.7 billion years and keeps growing as time progresses.

Construction of the Time Fabric

The Planck constant demonstrates that time is composed of distinct, indivisible units rather than flowing continuously. The smallest possible interval between these units is ten raised to minus 44 seconds. These individual time units collectively form what can be described as the fabric of time. This fabric begins at t = 0, with the first node is located at ten raised to minus 44 seconds from the starting point, the second node at 2 times ten raised to minus 44 seconds, the third node at 3 times ten raised to minus 44 seconds, and so forth. Each node is a precise increment, and together they construct the entire fabric of 13.7 billion years. You can only imagine the number of nodes which make up the time fabric of 13.7 billion years. 

Infinite Energy Source

Let us make another remarkable assertion — There is an inexhaustible well of energy at the very center of our being. Indeed, within our deepest core lies infinite energy. All the energy observed throughout the universe ultimately originates from this profound source. When you interpret Einstein’s Theory of Relativity accurately and grasp the connection between motion and energy, it becomes clear that boundless energy resides within our innermost essence. This incredible power cannot be found anywhere else.

Theory of Relativity

In simple terms, this theory says that whenever something moves, time slows down and space shrinks for it. Time and space are not unchanging; instead, they depend on how fast something is moving. Science has confirmed this idea. The faster something travels, the slower its time moves, and the more its space contracts. If anything could reach the speed of light, time would stop completely, and space would vanish. Please listen to my episode ‘Einstein’s Theory of Relativity’ for more information. 

What actually moves at the speed of light? Only photons—the particles that make up light—can do this. Nothing else can match their speed. Because photons travel at the speed of light, from the perspective of photons, there is no such thing as time or space. They exist beyond both. This is an important fact to recognize. 

Connection between motion and energy

We all have learned in our physics class that when something moves, it gains kinetic energy, and as its speed goes up, this energy increases even more quickly. Finally, if an object could reach the speed of light, it would have infinite energy. So, photons, which move at the speed of light, seem to have infinite energy, and this energy exists outside of time and space—within what we might call our innermost self or mind.

Nature creates a fascinating illusion: we see photons with no rest mass moving at the speed of light, but from the photons’ own perspective, they aren’t moving at all, they possess infinite energy and are located within us. Yes, there is infinite energy within us. It must be understood that this energy is in subtle form. 

Connecting Dark Energy with Space

Based on the previous discussion, we have recognized that infinite energy exists within each of us, stored in a subtle form as energy. This infinite energy source serves multiple functions. Part of it is responsible for the creation of all the visible matter in our physical universe. The entire electromagnetic spectrum originates from this energy, enabling the formation of everything we observe around us.

Another aspect of this energy interacts with the fabric of time. Remarkably, this energy possesses the ability to stretch the time fabric, much like pulling a circular rubber sheet outward. When a single second of this time fabric is stretched, it transforms into 186,000 miles of space. A stretched out one second of the time fabric creates 186,000 miles of space. In essence, space is created by stretching time—each second of time is drawn out to become the space we perceive. 

Currently, the time fabric measures approximately 13.7 billion years. This entire stretch has been made possible by this subtle energy, giving rise to all the space within our universe. This mysterious force is what scientists refer to as dark energy—a phenomenon that remains elusive to the scientific community. Essentially, dark energy is the force that stretches the time fabric, creating what we see as space. It requires an immense amount of energy to expand the entire fabric of the universe, and scientists estimate that dark energy accounts for about 79% of the universe’s total energy content.

Firstly, as time progresses, the fabric of time continues to expand. This ongoing expansion of space is driven by dark energy. As long as time moves forward, space will keep growing, necessitating a continuous supply of dark energy to fuel this process. 

Secondly, the energy responsible for stretching the time fabric—dark energy—is fundamentally different from the ordinary energy present in the visible universe. Unlike electromagnetic energy, which is tied to visible matter and cannot stretch the time fabric, dark energy exists outside the electromagnetic spectrum. Its true nature, composition, and essence remain unknown. The act of stretching the time fabric appears to occur within the realm of the mind, making it impossible to observe or detect dark energy as we do with other forms of energy. While we can speculate about its characteristics, its discovery in physical space remains beyond our reach. We can only see the effects of dark energy in space. The cause is within the time fabric which is present within us. 

We hope this episode has helped illuminate the important role that dark energy plays in both the formation and expansion of the universe. Dark energy remains a challenging concept to study, as it interacts with the fabric of time to create the space out there. Time itself is subtle and is experienced internally, which adds to the difficulty of detecting dark energy. While dark energy continues to be a profound mystery, this episode has aimed to provide you with a foundational understanding of its nature and behavior.

If you’re interested in delving deeper into topics like this, we invite you to explore our blog at Vedanta. and Science dot com or discover more in my book, Science Meets Vedanta., available on Amazon. Additionally, we offer a growing library of episodes covering many different topics —feel free to browse through them at your convenience.

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