Yes, the prevailing scientific understanding is that the universe is indeed expanding. This concept, known as the expansion of the universe, was first inferred from observations made by Edwin Hubble in the 1920s.
Based on Hubble's observations and subsequent research, scientists have determined that galaxies in the universe are generally moving away from one another. This observation is supported by the redshift of light from distant galaxies, which indicates that the wavelengths of light emitted by those galaxies are stretched as they travel through expanding space.
The expansion of the universe does not imply that galaxies are simply moving apart in a conventional sense, like objects moving away from a central point. Instead, it means that the very fabric of space itself is expanding, causing the apparent separation between galaxies to increase over time.
It's important to note that the expansion of the universe does not occur at a constant rate. The rate of expansion has been found to be accelerating, as demonstrated by observations of distant supernovae and measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation. This accelerated expansion is attributed to an unknown form of energy called dark energy, which is believed to constitute a significant portion of the total energy content of the universe.
In summary, the current scientific consensus is that the universe is expanding, with galaxies moving away from one another due to the stretching of space. The expansion is not uniform but rather accelerating, driven by an enigmatic force known as dark energy.