The cosmos gets crunchy

Astronomers have built a new AI tool called CIGaRS to help study how the Universe is expanding, and what dark energy might have to do with it.

The tool looks at Type Ia supernovae, huge star explosions used to measure distances in space.

These explosions are useful because they usually shine with a similar brightness, making them a sort of cosmic measuring tape.

The issue is that they are not perfectly identical.

Their brightness can change depending on the galaxy they are in, which can make distance estimates less precise.

CIGaRS uses AI and simulated universes to analyse huge numbers of supernovae at once, mostly from images rather than expensive spectroscopy.

That matters because the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to spot millions of them, and scientists will not have time to inspect every cosmic firework manually.

Researchers say the method could make dark energy measurements up to four times more accurate.

Basically, the Universe is about to send a data avalanche, and AI has been handed the shovel.

AI is doing astrology for scientists, basically.- MG