Copyright:
Umar Mohideen
(U. California at Riverside)
原文:
This tiny ball provides evidence that the universe will expand forever. Measuring slightly over one tenth of a millimeter, the ball moves toward a smooth plate in response to energy fluctuations in the vacuum of empty space. The attraction is known as the Casimir Effect, named for its discoverer, who, 55 years ago, was trying to understand why fluids like mayonnaise move so slowly. Today, evidence indicates that most of the energy density in the universe is in an unknown form dubbed dark energy. The form and genesis of dark energy is almost completely unknown, but postulated as related to vacuum fluctuations similar to the Casimir Effect but generated somehow by space itself. This vast and mysterious dark energy appears to gravitationally repel all matter and hence will likely cause the universe to expand forever. Understanding vacuum energy is on the forefront of research not only to better understand our universe but also for stopping micro-mechanical machine parts from sticking together.
中文翻譯:
這顆微小的球體提供了宇宙將永遠擴張的證據。它的直徑稍微超過十分之一毫米，因應真空空間中的能量波動而向一個平滑的平板移動。這種吸引力被稱為卡西米爾效應（Casimir Effect），因為它的發現者55年前試圖理解為什麼像美乃滋這樣的流體會如此緩慢地流動。如今的證據顯示，宇宙中大部分的能量密度是來自一種未知形式的暗能量（dark energy）。暗能量的形式和起源幾乎完全未知，但有人推測它與類似於卡西米爾效應的真空波動有關，而這種波動以某種方式是由空間本身產生的。這種浩瀚而神秘的暗能量似乎對所有物質具有引力排斥，因而可能導致宇宙永遠擴張。了解真空能量（vacuum energy）正位於研究的最前沿，這不僅有助於更好地理解我們的宇宙，還能防止微機械部件之間的粘連。
#宇宙擴張 #卡西米爾效應 #暗能量 #真空能量 #科學探索 #未來研究 #理解宇宙 #微機械 #物理學 #無窮宇宙
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來源:NASA每日圖片
