Final answer:
Dark matter and dark energy together account for about 95% of the contents of the universe, with dark matter contributing approximately 27% and dark energy about 68%, based on precision measurements from space missions like WMAP and Planck.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the latest astrophysical measurements and analyses, in total, what percentage of the contents of the universe are made of dark energy and dark matter? The combined contributions of dark energy and dark matter to the universe's contents are substantial. Specifically, dark matter is estimated to make up about 27%, while dark energy accounts for approximately 68% of the critical density of the universe. Therefore, they together constitute about 95% of the universe's critical density, with the remaining 5% comprised of ordinary matter, such as hydrogen and helium, as well as the luminous matter in stars and galaxies.
Composition of the Universe:
While only about 5% of the universe is made up of ordinary matter that we are familiar with on Earth, a staggering 95% is made up of the elusive dark matter and dark energy. These findings result from precision measurements from space missions such as the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and Planck satellite, which have corroborated the late 1990's cosmological model.