Speaker : Prof. Martin Kunz, University of Geneva, Switzerland
Title : The Dark Energy Puzzle: Is the Universe Trying to Tell Us Something New?
Date : 2026-09-02
Time: 12:00
Location : 2nd Floor Seminar Room & Online
Video : Zoom
Abstract:
More than twenty-five years after the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe, the physical origin of dark energy remains one of the major open questions in cosmology. While the simplest explanation treats dark energy as a constant property of empty space, recent observations have renewed interest in the possibility that it could change over cosmic time.
In this seminar, Prof. Martin Kunz will introduce the dark energy problem and discuss how cosmologists combine different observations to investigate its nature. He will review the present observational picture, the conclusions that can currently be drawn from the available data, and the role of upcoming and ongoing experiments, including the Euclid mission, in determining whether dark energy is constant or could point towards new physics.
Bio:
Prof. Martin Kunz is Professor of Cosmology in the Department of Theoretical Physics at the University of Geneva. His research focuses on dark energy, the large-scale structure of the Universe, and statistical approaches for the analysis of cosmological data. He has made significant contributions to both the theoretical description and observational investigation of dark energy. He currently serves as Chair of the Euclid Collaboration Board, contributing to one of the largest international scientific efforts dedicated to mapping and understanding the dark Universe.