image edited by F. Kaskais The cosmological constant and the creation of the universe. BY THANU PADMANABHAN There are two tantalizing mysteries about our universe, one dealing with its final fate and the other with its beginning, that have intrigued cosmologists for decades. The community has always believed these to be independent problems—but what if they are not? The first problem has to do with the existence of something called “dark energy,” which is today accelerating the expansion of the universe and will determine its final fate. Theorists tell us that the effects of dark energy can be explained by … Continue reading The Universe Began With a Big Melt, Not a Big Bang