We live in the exciting time when humanity discovers the nature [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] of our entire universe. During this year, in particular, however, the quest for cosmological understanding appears to have astronomers groping in the dark. Dark matter [
http://www.sciam.co…] and dark energy [
http://www.lbl.gov/…] are becoming accepted invisible components of our universe, much like oxygen [
http://pearl1.lanl.…] and nitrogen [
http://pearl1.lanl.…] have become established invisible components of Earth-bound air [
http://www.dep.stat…]. In comprehending [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] the nature and origin of the formerly invisible, however, we are only just exiting the cosmological dark age [
http://library.thin…]. Relatively unexplored concepts such as higher spatial dimensions [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…], string theories [
http://superstringt…] of fundamental particles [
http://particleadve…], quintessence [
http://physicsweb.o…], and new forms of inflation [
http://www.astro.uc…] all vie for cornerstone roles in a more complete theory [
http://www.sciam.co…]. As understanding invisible air has led to such useful inventions as the airplane [
http://www.wam.umd.…] and the oxygen mask [
http://www.avweb.co…], perhaps understanding dark matter [
http://chandra.harv…] and dark energy [
http://xxx.lanl.gov…] can lead to even more spectacular and useful inventions. Pictured above [
http://www2.keck.ha…], three of the largest optical telescopes [
http://www.seds.org…] (Keck I, Keck II [
http://www2.keck.ha…], and Subaru [
http://www.naoj.org/]) prepare to peer into the dark and distant universe.
Explanation
We live in the exciting time when humanity discovers the nature [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] of our entire universe. During this year, in particular, however, the quest for cosmological understanding appears to have astronomers groping in the dark. Dark matter [
http://www.sciam.co…] and dark energy [
http://www.lbl.gov/…] are becoming accepted invisible components of our universe, much like oxygen [
http://pearl1.lanl.…] and nitrogen [
http://pearl1.lanl.…] have become established invisible components of Earth-bound air [
http://www.dep.stat…]. In comprehending [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] the nature and origin of the formerly invisible, however, we are only just exiting the cosmological dark age [
http://library.thin…]. Relatively unexplored concepts such as higher spatial dimensions [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…], string theories [
http://superstringt…] of fundamental particles [
http://particleadve…], quintessence [
http://physicsweb.o…], and new forms of inflation [
http://www.astro.uc…] all vie for cornerstone roles in a more complete theory [
http://www.sciam.co…]. As understanding invisible air has led to such useful inventions as the airplane [
http://www.wam.umd.…] and the oxygen mask [
http://www.avweb.co…], perhaps understanding dark matter [
http://chandra.harv…] and dark energy [
http://xxx.lanl.gov…] can lead to even more spectacular and useful inventions. Pictured above [
http://www2.keck.ha…], three of the largest optical telescopes [
http://www.seds.org…] (Keck I, Keck II [
http://www2.keck.ha…], and Subaru [
http://www.naoj.org/]) prepare to peer into the dark and distant universe.
Explanation
