21st April – Mapping the Universe to reveal its dark secrets – Dr Steve Cunnington

21st April 2025

Mapping the Universe to reveal its dark secrets

Dr Steve Cunnington

We sort of understand how our Universe works and evolves. However, this relies on the existence of dark matter and dark energy, which should make up 95% of the Universe.

The problem is that we lack an understanding of these phenomena, and they remain undetected in particle colliders.

Strong arguments therefore exist that perhaps our interpretation of the Universe is missing something. For example, maybe we need to extend Einstein’s general relativity, our current description of gravity.

It is the job of cosmologists to use the latest tools to observe our Universe and test such possibilities.
 
In this talk, Dr Steve Cunnington from University of Manchester will give an overview of how large radio telescopes, such as the Square Kilometre Array, will provide new ways to map the structure of the Universe by recording how its content is distributed. These maps, which stretch unprecedented scales and depths, provide clues to how gravity works and can help reveal the nature of dark energy and dark matter. 

Background: 
https://www.skao.int/en/explore/science-goals [skao.int]

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/astronomers-link-64-telescopes-to-observe-the-structure-of-the-universe-ahead-of-the-skao-launch/