String Theory Can Now Describe a Universe That Has Dark Energy
Summary
Quanta reports a new explicit de Sitter-like solution in string theory by Bento and Montero, using Casimir-like effects in a 6D compactification balanced by flux to yield a small positive dark energy. The solution is unstable and effectively 5D rather than 4D, with caveats and connections to observational hints that dark energy may weaken over time, illustrating a calculable bridge between string theory and cosmology.