Essay (and QOTD #10)

My astronomy professor just assigned us a new essay. This the second essay we've had to do. The first one was 500. It was a bit of a struggle for me to condense it down. But that will be nothing compared to this next essay. He wants me to "Describe three ideas astronomers have proposed to explain dark energy and the methods used to test them." In 250 words. So:
- 3 ideas
- why those ideas
- methods used
- plus your standard into/conclusion. 
IN 250 WORDS OR LESS. 
250 WORDS. 
I CANNOT DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

QOTD #10
10. What is the last beverage you had?
The last drink I had was water but that was only to take some medication so it doesn't count so I'm going to go to the drink before that. I was at the mall and I was craving something creamy and chocolate. I wanted a milkshake, but milkshakes are hard to find in Waterloo (at least in my experience). So I was walking around the food court and Cultures had smoothies and I figured that was as close as I was going to get. So I ordered a chocolate smoothie. I knew it wasn't going to be exactly like a milkshake, but I figured it would be close. I don't know why, but it tasted kind of funny. Maybe that was just the smoothie being itself. But I think that there might have been some residue in the blender from something else that got into my smoothie. In the end I ended up drinking most of it, but the entire time I couldn't help thinking "there is something wrong with this". (What a coincidence that I would have a drink story to tell on a drink related QOTD!)