Three scientists share 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics

"The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2011 with one half to Saul Perlmutter with the Supernova Cosmology Project in the United States and the other half jointly to Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess, both working with the High-z Supernova Search Team for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae," Normark said in a statement.

"They have studied several dozen exploding stars, called supernovae, and discovered that the Universe is expanding at an ever-accelerating rate," the statement said.

The acceleration is thought to be driven by dark energy, but what that dark energy is remains an enigma -- perhaps the greatest in physics today. What is known is that dark energy constitutes about three quarters of the Universe, the statement explained.

"In 1998, cosmology was shaken at its foundations as two research teams presented their findings. Headed by Saul Perlmutter, one of the teams had set to work in 1988. Brian Schmidt headed another team, launched at the end of 1994, where Adam Riess was to play a crucial role," the statement said.

The research teams raced to map the Universe by locating the most distant supernovae. More sophisticated telescopes on the ground and in space, as well as more powerful computers and new digital imaging sensors, opened the possibility in the 1990s to add more pieces to the cosmological puzzle.

"Therefore the findings of the 2011 Nobel Laureates in Physics have helped to unveil a Universe that to a large extent is unknown to science. And everything is possible again," the statement said; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

To learn more go to www.xinhuanet.com/english2010