I suppose the part they seem to assume is that the black hole is the cause for dark energy, but without actual study into the real cause for the correlation.

It might be the other way around with the expansion of the universe causing the growth, or it may be an indirect mechanism being the cause for both of them.

The assumption that the black hole is helping cause the expansion is what I was digging at.

It was actually a very recent episode of "Daniel and Jorge explain the universe" podcast, dropped last Thursday. I'm sure they have show notes for papers referenced if your note of a reader

The hypothesis, if I read right, is suggesting that there is a correlation between the expansion of the universe and the unexplained growth rate of supermassive black holes.

We don't know why they are as big as they are. We don't know why the universes expansion is what it is, but the 2 appear to be correlated.

Fascinating findings for sure, but what i don't understand is why they are so quick to publish findings that correlation might equal causation when anyone in science knows it does not

I was just learning of a theory yesterday that suggests gravitational waves leave an imprint permanently on the fabric of space, forever stretching it where the waves have passed. It's untested because engineering isn't there, but from what I read, it is a phenomenon that comes straight out of relativistic equations. I believe it was called gravitational memory.

Very true. I suppose we'll probably never know the full truth of it

What would that balloon have learned that wasn't already on Google earth and publicly available GPS data?

They're already doing it. Artemis 2 is meant to establish HALO, a base capable of house 4 astronauts for 30 days on the moon. It's not a lot, but it's a start