Dark Energy: Anatomy of a Paradigm Shift in Cosmology

Science is defined by its ability to shift its paradigm on the basis of observation and data. Throughout history, the worldviews of the scientific community have been drastically changed to fit that which was scientifically determined to be fact. One of the latest paradigm shifts happened over the shape and fate of the universe. This research details the progression from the early paradigm of a decelerating expanding universe to the discovery of dark energy and the movement to the current paradigm of a universe that is not only expanding but is also accelerating.