Recently, some studies have cast doubt on dark energy but dark energy proponents are digging in:
A team of Korean scientists published findings on Jan. 5 questioning the reliability of using supernovae to measure intergalactic distances. This followed a paper published in November that also cast doubt on the supernova evidence from a different angle, arguing that our galactic neighborhood is flowing in a particular direction, affecting certain kinds of distance measurements.
In both instances, other scientists pushed back, noting potential flaws in the methodology and conclusions of the new studies.
While most scientists still seem to believe that dark energy remains on solid ground, no one yet has any firm idea what it actually is.
Ramin Skibba, “Dark Energy Skeptics Raise Concerns, But Remain Outnumbered” at Inside Science
Maybe dark energy is cosmic consciousness? Don’t laugh before you read this: “Could information be—at long last—the missing dark matter?“
Lots is at stake, including a 2011 Nobel Prize that some think was incorrectly awarded. For more on that, see “New Scientist: Dark Matter’s No-Show Casts Doubt On Big Bang; Rob Sheldon Replies “In 2011, Perlmutter, Schmidt & Reiss (all younger than me) were awarded a Nobel for observations made on Type Ia supernovae that very weakly suggested the presence of anti-gravity or “dark energy”. (The observations on 74 SN/Ia have since weakened considerably as 1000 more SN/Ia were added to the data set and the Planck data was analyzed, which is one reason for the urgency of the award. After all, a Nobel prize makes anything true!)”
See also: Rob Sheldon: Are “multiple measurements ”closing in on dark energy? Nope.
Researchers: Either dark energy or string theory is wrong. Or both are. But dark energy is so glitzy! Isn’t it a line of cosmetics already?
Researchers: The symmetrons needed to explain dark energy were not found
Rob Sheldon: Has dark energy finally been found? In pop science mags?
Are recent dark energy findings a blow for multiverse theory?
and
Science at sunset: Dark energy might make a multiverse hospitable to life… if it exists