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From what I've read, that is entirely wrong. Expansion is very weak compared to gravitational forces, which is nothing when compared to the electromagnetism that binds atoms into molecules, which is nothing when compared to the strong force holding the nucleus together.

Everything from atoms to galaxies are safe in regards to expansion. Galaxy clusters (maybe) and up would be disrupted by expansion.

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In a big rip scenario, the scale factor goes to infinity in a finite time. The author is correct on this one. Whether we are in a big rip scenario or not is not entirely settled, even though it's more on the unlikely side and just became a tiny bit more likely, considering the new measurements.

Big rip scenarios are inconsistent with dark energy having a constant value of w=-1, which is what the author is discussing in that paragraph. The article is wrong.

In that case, true. I couldn't get past the paywall.

There are some theories that the expansion force can grow in unbounded ways.

But it's as speculative as any other explanation of Dark Energy.

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