THREE years ago we discovered that the Universe is expanding at a faster and
faster rate. Now physicists say this might mean the Universe is littered with
invisible “anti black holes” that repel any matter that comes close.
The accelerating expansion of the Universe has been very difficult to
explain. Many theorists think its ballooning size is caused by an exotic
material called “quintessence”, a form of vacuum energy that pervades all of
space and exerts a negative, outwards pressure
(New Scientist, 3 April 1999, p 28).
This is similar to the vacuum energy thought to have driven “inflation”,…
