In the grand quest to understand why the universe is expanding faster and faster, most scientists point to an invisible force called dark energy.
asserted
scientists → understand → force
A 14-year-old student from Kingston, Ontario, has taken a different path.
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student → take → path
Liam Desre, a Grade 10 teenager, proposed a thermodynamic extension to the standard model of cosmology that could explain cosmic acceleration without invoking dark energy.
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that → propose → energy
His project, ΛCDM+S: Evaluating a Thermodynamic Extension to Standard Cosmology, won a second prize of €5,000 at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) 2026 in Kiel, Germany, where 144 young scientists from 37 countries presented their work, according to Youth Science Canada News.
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scientists → evaluate → News
While his classmates are busy with tests and extracurriculars, he’s been diving deep into one of the biggest puzzles in modern physics.
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he → dive → physics
His project challenges the prevailing ΛCDM model that relies on dark energy to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe.
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that → challenge → universe
Instead, Liam explored whether entropy-related thermodynamic effects could produce the same observational signatures.
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effects → explore → signatures
The standard cosmological model treats dark energy as a mysterious component making up about 68 percent of the universe’s energy budget.
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model → treat → budget
Yet despite decades of study, its physical nature remains unknown.
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nature → remain → study
Liam’s work asked a simple but profound question: could the acceleration we observe be a consequence of how energy and entropy behave on cosmic scales, rather than evidence of a new, invisible substance?
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energy → ask → substance
How the thermodynamic extension works
Liam’s approach builds on the ΛCDM framework but adds a thermodynamic layer he labels “S” for entropy.
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he → work → entropy
In his model, he used simulations to test whether entropy-driven effects could mimic the expansion history attributed to dark energy.
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effects → use → energy
The results suggested that such a thermodynamic extension can reproduce key features of cosmic acceleration without requiring dark energy as a separate entity.
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extension → suggest → entity
This does not mean dark energy is disproven.
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energy → mean → ?
Liam’s project is a way to test things out that others can interrogate, refine, or contest.
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others → test → that
His thermodynamic approach to cosmic acceleration opens a new avenue of research to complement or contradict existing hypotheses.
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approach → open → hypotheses
His work demonstrates how fresh perspectives, even from young scientists, can contribute to high-level debates in cosmology.
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perspectives → demonstrate → cosmology
From Canada-Wide Science Fair to the European stage
Liam’s journey to Kiel began at the 2026 Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton, where he received the Best Project – Discovery award.
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he → begin → award
That achievement secured his place on Team Canada, alongside Gurnoor Kaur of Waterloo, Ontario, whose project on reducing bias in pulse oximetry won a first prize at EUCYS.
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project → secure → EUCYS
Together, they continued Canada’s remarkable streak of winning two core prizes at the contest for five consecutive years, as per the report.
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they → continue → report
Participants must first win top honours at national science fairs to qualify.
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Participants → win → fairs
In Kiel, they presented their self-developed research to an expert jury, defended their methods in interviews, and engaged with peers from around the world.
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they → present → world
Liam’s second prize placed him among an elite group of young researchers recognised for originality, rigour, and scientific promise.
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prize → place → originality
Why this matters for science and society
Liam’s achievement is more than a personal triumph.
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achievement → matter → triumph
It suggests the importance of encouraging young people to grapple with complex, open-ended questions.
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It → suggest → questions
Cosmology is usually thought of as the territory of grizzled physicists with supercomputers and telescopes at their disposal.
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Cosmology → think → disposal
But Liam’s project demonstrates that teenagers can have meaningful ideas to add to conversations on the world stage if they’re curious and have access to scientific tools and mentorship.
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they → demonstrate → tools
His work also demonstrates the importance of alternative hypotheses in science.
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work → demonstrate → science
His thermodynamic model may not ultimately replace dark energy, but it does offer a model that can be tested against observations.
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that → replace → observations
This kind of work refines theories, reveals implicit assumptions and can sometimes even produce surprising breakthroughs.
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kind → refine → breakthroughs
Liam’s story is a reminder to students and teachers that age is no barrier to entering the frontiers of knowledge.
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age → enter → knowledge
A Canadian tradition of excellence in youth science
Canada’s consistent success at EUCYS reflects a strong national ecosystem for youth STEM.
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success → reflect → STEM
Regional science fairs feed into the Canada-Wide Science Fair, which selects Team Canada for international competitions.
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which → feed → competitions
Teachers, volunteers, and organisations like Youth Science Canada support students through every stage, from idea development to presentation skills.
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Teachers → support → skills
This network has helped Canadian students win core prizes in fields as diverse as cancer research, robotics, medical sensing, and now cosmology.
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students → help → research
Liam Desre’s thermodynamic alternative to dark energy adds a striking chapter to this legacy.
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alternative → add → legacy
At 14, he has shown that bold questions and careful modelling can earn global recognition.
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questions → show → recognition
As his work goes on, it could inspire other young scientists to look beyond the old explanations and go into new paths in understanding our universe.
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it → go → universe
The Aporia
