Cosmological constant

Ok kiddo, so the cosmological constant is a big, complicated idea that scientists use to try to understand the universe.

Imagine you are blowing up a balloon, and you start to notice that no matter how much you blow it up, the air inside the balloon stays the same. The cosmological constant is kind of like that - it's a way to describe how the universe is expanding and how it all stays balanced.

Scientists believe that the universe is expanding, but it's not just expanding like a balloon being filled up with more air. There are things called galaxies and stars that are flying around and pulling on each other, which makes things a little more complicated.

The cosmological constant is sort of like a force that pushes against all of that pulling and tugging, and keeps the universe from collapsing in on itself. It's like if you and your friends were all holding hands and trying to pull in different directions, but then someone came along and said "nope, everyone has to stay in one spot - don't move!" That someone is the cosmological constant.

Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how the cosmological constant works and what it means for the universe, but it's an important idea that helps us understand how everything is connected.