Dark Flow is it Real

[edwards]

Hello All,

Yesterday, I watched a program on BBC iPlayer called ‘Is Everything We Know About The Universe Wrong?’ it is Horizon production, it is still on iPlayer and it is well worth watching.

The program started off describing the relatively new observation of Dark Flow, this made my ears prick up, because this is the first time I have ever heard about this research data.

Around a year ago I was writing on the New Scientist forum and happen to mention a way of testing the existence of objects beyond our visible universe and said that changes in the shape of the canopy or edge of the universe; areas of it that were expanding faster might prove that our visible Universe is just a small part of the entire Universe which is not visible.

This prediction is based on an alternate theory – and this theory predicted Dark Flow, as well as Dark Flow, it also makes a number of other predictions. One thing this theory also gives is an alternative reason for the cosmic background radiation, and why the temperature of the visible universe is so uniform. It also offers a life cycle of the entire universe, but obviously gives no explanation how it came about in the first place, it also allows the existence of other Universes, but there is more to it than just that.

I should really get a paper written, before someone else does it. I no access to any scientific data or tools all I have is a model, but it nice to see that new discoveries seem to match this model.

I keep thinking we are on the verge of great discoveries, although I’m sure in time to come this age of cosmology will be referred to as the Phlogiston era.

[kzb]

Is Dark Flow the same thing as the Axis of Evil?

I saw the Horizon programme in question earlier this week. I find the format annoying, they don't seem to know at what level to pitch it. On the one hand we have totally unrepresentative explosions to illustrate the big bang, then we keep cutting to hard equations on white boards to prove how clever all these people are. At no point was anything explained with any depth in a way that intelligent people would learn anything.

[Strange]

On the one hand we have totally unrepresentative explosions to illustrate the big bang, then we keep cutting to hard equations on white boards to prove how clever all these people are. At no point was anything explained with any depth in a way that intelligent people would learn anything.

Sounds like the typical Horizon program; an utter waste of time. I'm sure they used to be good when I was young. But maybe I was just younger then...

[kzb]

Yes, perhaps they are aimed at kids and we never realised it. I've had a quick click-around, and I think dark flow is in some way related to the axis of evil, but not quite the same. They are both concerned with anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background.

The axis of evil is a universe-preferred direction of rotation and also polarisation of the CMD.

[edwards]

I enjoy watching any Science program, these programs are pitched at a wide audience, and they are made to grab the imagination of people, who would normally have no interest in Science.
I’m just glad the BBC are trying to get programs aired like this, but I wish they would do more.
Most of the stuff is old news for anyone with an interest, but once in a while you get some bit of new information.

The thing is once the imagination is grabbed what's next?

[A.DIM]

Mysterious Cosmic "Dark Flow" Tracked Deeper into Universe.

"The dark flow is controversial because the distribution of matter in the observed universe cannot account for it. Its existence suggests that some structure beyond the visible universe -- outside our "horizon" -- is pulling on matter in our vicinity."

Is it real?

According to Atrio-Barandela, who has focused on understanding the possible errors in the team's analysis, the new study provides much stronger evidence that the dark flow is real. For example, the brightest clusters at X-ray wavelengths hold the greatest amount of hot gas to distort CMB photons. "When processed, these same clusters also display the strongest KSZ signature -- unlikely if the dark flow were merely a statistical fluke," he said.

So it seems there's more to the universe than meets the eye.

[BigDon]

So it seems there's more to the universe than meets the eye.

And hopefully there always will be.

[A.DIM]

And hopefully there always will be.

Hear, hear!

I'm beginning to think it just might go on eternally ...

[morsmana]

The porogram at first promised much but delivered little - the constant repetition of the exploding balloon and the equations on white boards detracted from the program as a whole - but I still think that any science on the BBC is better than no science on the BBC!

[slang]

Caught (part of) an episode of Wonders of the Solar System, titled "Order out of Chaos", hosted by Brian Cox, on BBC2 tonight. I thought it was pretty well done.

[PhillipJFry]

The show can be watched on YouTube:

Horizon: Is Everything We Know About the Universe Wrong?