High-energy & quantum cosmology
The Cosmological Constant Problem
The vast mismatch between the tiny dark-energy density measured in the Universe and the enormous vacuum energy that naive quantum theory predicts — a discrepancy of many tens of orders of magnitude. Often called the worst prediction in physics, it remains one of the deepest unsolved problems where quantum theory meets gravity.
Highlights
- ›Quantum theory over-predicts dark energy by ~120 orders of magnitude
Related physics & astronomy
Across fundamental physics
Knowledge connections
- Associated withVacuum Energy
- Associated withVacuum Energy
- Associated withDark Energy
- Associated withThe Cosmological Constant (Λ)
- Associated withQuantum Gravity
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.