Invited talk, to be published in the proceedings of the conference "Cosmology across Cultures" (held at Granada, Spain, on 2008, September 8th to 12th), J. A. Belmonte, F. Prada, J. A. Rubino Martin, & A. Alberdi, Eds., ASP, S. Francisco.
astro-ph/0904.1126

For a PDF version of the article, click here.

COSMOLOGISTS IN THE DARK

Vicent J. Martinez 1,2 & Virginia Trimble 3,4


1 Observatori Astronòmic de la Universitat de València. Ap. de Correus 22085, E-46071 València, Spain
2 Departament d'Astronomia i Astrofísica de la Universitat de València
3 Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
4 Las Cumbres Observatory, Goleta, California


Abstract. We review the present status of cosmological discoveries and how these confirm our modern cosmological model, but at the same time we try to focus on its weaknesses and inconsistencies with an historical perspective, and foresee how the on-going big cosmological projects may change in the future our view of the universe.


Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESENT COSMOLOGICAL PARADIGM

THE DARK SIDE
Dark matter
Dark energy

FALSIFIABILITY, CONFIRMABILITY, EVIDENCE AND ALL THAT
Falsifiability
Consensus?
Success?

CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

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