Description:

I will discuss how large cosmic surveys are providing new insights into our understanding of the dark universe, with emphasis on recent results from the Dark Energy Survey. In particular, I will discuss recent observational hints that dark energy may not be a cosmological constant but rather a dynamical phenomenon, consistent with models introduced about 30 years ago. These ideas will be tested in near-future surveys such as the Vera Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Along the way, I will illustrate how machine learning methods are transforming the way we analyze large surveys and end by describing how the new SkAI Institute for AI in Astronomy will drive innovations and discoveries in both AI and Astronomy.

Speaker: Joshua Frieman, University of Chicago

Host: Tjitske Starkenburg