Has observing the universe hastened its end?

What are ya gonna do?
It's all relative anyway.

Normally scientific modules give a logic conclusion, however when scientist can not understand something un-logic factors or a factor are used, later when someone see how un-logic the theories or theory has become a perfectly logic solution takes shape.

If these two guys step back from the problem and just thought about the solution they would realise how bloody daft it is. However I expect they are paid for their research and they have prove they have done something?

Anybody got the whole article so I don't have to get a subscription.

What exactly qualifies as "observation"? For example, if an ancient Greek astronomer looked at the area of the sky where modern astronomers have observed dark energy, hasn't he observed it (even though he wasn't aware of what it is that he observed)?

And who exactly are "we"? Does each individual's observation contribute to the process? If an individual observes more than once, does that make a difference? What effects do observations made by life forms in other galaxies have?

I will no longer look at the avatars of the folks on Newsvine in order to not lessen their natural lifespan.

Sounds like too many college professors with too much time on their hands (and perhaps grant money) and not enough time spent with regular folks. If the rest of the article were available (without subscribing to the magazine) it might turn out to make more sense. As is, it sounds like these two fellows probably also believe that photos steal the souls of those who are photographed.

I hope they don't examine gravity too closely else we might all end up floating off into space...

Nah, the dark matter isn't really "observed", it's been part of cause-and-effect since its inception.

Seems kind of silly to be arguing against something when we can only see the first three paragraphs.

And why are articles which require a subscription being seeded anyways?

The last couple of sentences in the article would have been really handy here....Ok, I'll do the work:

Max Tegmark of [MIT] maintains that the quantum zeno effect does not require humans to make observations of light. "Galaxies have 'observed' ({Me} Note that the word observed is punctuated {Me}) the dark energy long before we evolved." He says, as they were affected by it and were encoding information about it, "When we humans in turn observe the light from these galaxies, it changes nothing except our own knowledge."

I copied it verbatum, I don't know about the grammar and punctuation either??

This would be a good subject for blackmail, or rather dark matter mail, give me a lot of money or I'll buy a telescope and end the universe'

Seriously I agree with Djehuty, When dealing with experiments on quantum phenomena observations it seems to assume that the human consciousness interacts directly with the experiment which is not what happens. The human observes what the heavy macroscopic kit is telling him. i.e. the wave function or whatever collapses when the quantum world interacts with the macroscopic world.

Were doomed ... Dark Matter .... "Observations" ... End Times

If the article is so good let the Ford [15 page advert pay for it] otherwise wait a week read it on www.bbc.uk.com

dark materialism may have profound effects......