Six Of The Biggest Unsolved Mysteries in Physics

 Here are 6 of the biggest unsolved mysteries in Physics-

1. What is Dark Energy?

Of all the things that fluster and befuddle physicists, dark energy is easily on the top. This is because we know almost nothing about it- all we know for sure is that it exists.

Even the best of astrophysicists has failed to learn absolutely anything new about this mysterious energy that makes up for about a third of our universe.

Up until the 1900s it was believed that the expansion of the universe was slowing down. However, when two independent teams of researchers studied supernovae (exploding distant stars) they realized that the universe expansion was not slowing down but rather speeding up.

It was then speculated that there has to be some other form of energy that is working against the gravitational energy, and it was then termed as “dark energy”.

2. Are There Parallel Universes?

According to astrophysics the space-time dimension is more likely to be flat, which means that it is limitless, unlike counter hypothesis in which it is curved and thus is limited by its circumference.

If the space-time dimension is flat, then it goes to show that our universe (which is only one of millions of millions of other universes) is just a small fragment of the combined space-time fabric.

Now, since according to quantum mechanics the particle configuration in every cosmic fragment is finite, the particle arrangements in the universes that are a part of space-time fabric are forced to repeat. In other words, there is a strong possibility of identical universes, which we popularly know as “parallel universes”.

3. Speed of Light

We all know that light travels at a constant speed of 3 X 108 meters per second. However, why does it have the constant speed? And why is speed exactly 3 X 108? Why not 4 X 108 or 3 X 1010? While we don’t have the answers to these as of now, we know for sure that if it didn’t have the precise speed limit the universe wouldn’t exist.

4. Unidirectionality of Time

We have mastered many powerful elements of physics today but time still baffles many physicists. While modern science has empowered us to artificially create gravity, fuse atoms, and what not, physicists struggle when it comes to time-reversal. Why do we always grow older; why can’t we reverse the clocks?

5. Lifetime of Universe

We all know that the universe will end one day, even if that day is speculated to come after about 10 billion years. However, we don’t know for sure the exact time and the exact reason. There are a variety of theories that describe the end of universe but there is nothing concrete.

6. Why is There More Matter Than Anti-Matter?

When the Big Bang took place an abundance of matter and anti-matter (the sub-atomic particles of which have opposite properties those of matter) was produced in almost equal proportions.

However, since matter and anti-matter tend to annihilate each other and since both were produced in almost equal quantities initially we should have been left with nothing instead of something (matter).

Scientists have never been able to give a concrete theory that could explain it, especially since our knowledge about the particles’ theory is still limited.