What might be causing the universe to accelerate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Observations have shown that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, and this can be explained by the existence of a mysterious force called dark energy. Dark energy is believed to be a property of space itself, pushing everything apart and causing the acceleration of the universe's expansion. Other options, such as WIMPs or MACHOs, are potential candidates for dark matter, but they have not been observed to directly contribute to the acceleration of the universe. Gravitation is a fundamental force that can cause objects to attract each other, but it cannot explain the observed acceleration of the universe. White-dwarf supernovae explosions were used to initially detect the acceleration of the universe, but they are not causing the acceleration themselves.

What Might Be Causing the Universe to Accelerate